DMRC shuts entry gates of 5 Delhi metro stations to ensure implementation of COVID-19 protocols

New Delhi: Delhi Metro on Tuesday (April 20) temporarily closed entry for five metro stations, including New Delhi, Chandni Chowk, Kashmere Gate, Rajiv Chowk and MG Road stations, to ensure social distancing as part of crowd control measures.

"Entry for New Delhi, Chandni Chowk, Kashmere Gate, Rajiv Chowk and MG Road has been temporarily closed to ensure social distancing as part of our crowd control measures. Exit is allowed," tweeted DMRC.

Meanwhile, the exit is allowed from all the metro stations. 

The order came the next day after Delhi announced that it will be going under a 6-day lockdown.

Following the orders form the government DMRC also issued a number of guidelines and announced that the metro services, across the network, will be available with a headway (frequency) of 30 minutes during peak hours in the mornings (8 am to 10 am) and in evenings (5 pm to 7 pm).

Adding that for the rest of the day, the metro services will be available with a frequency of 60 minutes. 

Meanwhile, during the lockdown period, travel will be allowed with 50 percent seating capacity in the Metro.

As per the state health bulletin of the Delhi government, the total infection caseload has reached 8,77,146 with 76,887 active cases on Monday. The overall COVID-19 casualties in Delhi have soared up to 12,361, with as many as 240 fatalities on Monday, which is the highest-ever number of deaths registered in a single day in the national capital in the last 24 hours.

(With Agency inputs)