DMRC to launch safe travel campaign

New Delhi: With an aim to sensitise commuters about safe travel in the wake of incidents of people getting stuck in trains, Delhi Metro will launch a week-long awareness campaign from February 21 during which they will be educated and counselled about various issues related to safety.

The decision to launch the campaign was taken by new Delhi Metro chief Mangu Singh at a meeting on Monday when he reviewed the performance of the organisation after he took over last month following E Sreedharan`s retirement. Over 150 volunteers from Northern Railway Bharat Scouts and Guides will be deployed at major inter-change stations like Rajiv Chowk, Kashmere Gate and Central Secretariat and Chandi Chowk stations from February 21 to February 27.

During the week-long awareness campaign, the volunteers would educate the commuters for safe handling while entering or exiting from the train at stations and would also interact with passengers.

The aim of the campaign is to educate commuters about safe travel on Metro such as boarding and de-boarding, queuing for boarding and using escalators, DMRC spokesman Anuj Dayal said.

The campaign comes in the wake of incidents of people getting stuck in trains, which the Delhi Metro says was due to software malfunctioning.

Volunteers will be deputed near the train`s doors to guide the passengers for safe handling of train`s door and they will also distribute pamphlets of safe travel during the campaign. During the meeting, Singh also ordered special cleanliness drives in areas around Metro stations and asked the authorities to rope in other civic agencies for these drives.
Dayal said Singh also stressed on proper maintenance of parking lots and that they must be neat and clean and have proper lighting.
Delhi Metro carried over two million passengers on two consecutive days -- January 9 and January 10. In comparison to the month of January last year, the Delhi Metro has recorded an increase of over 25 percent in ridership.
During the last one month, Delhi Metro organized a mock drill for fire safety inside the trains on January 28 between Chawri Bazar and New Delhi stations during which the focus was on safe evacuation of passengers in case of a fire-related mishap, Dayal said.

DMRC has also launched an extensive drive against the pasting of illegal posters on Metro premises. Notices have been sent to the offenders under the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007.

Under the provision, there is a a penalty of Rs 50,000 or imprisonment up to one year or both for defacement of public property under the Act.
PTI