The Delhi High Court has remarked that it is too early to urge through petition that the Delhi Metro must be directed to resume operation immediately since there is “adequate public transport” in the Capital as of now.

A Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad said on Wednesday that, “it has been just two days since the new rules and regulations [for lockdown] have come into force”.

“It is too early in the day to urge that there is an inadequate supply of public transport for insisting that DMRC [Delhi Metro Rail Corporation] must be directed to operate immediately,” the Bench said.

The court said, “As of now, there is an adequate public transport that has been permitted to be operated by the Government of NCT to meet the requirement of the public at large”.

Social distancing

“As and when the lockdown is further relaxed, the DMRC shall also be permitted to operate the Metro Rail in terms of the directions that may be issued by the respondents [government] subsequently,” it added.

The court, further, said that it shall be the duty of the DMRC to ensure that adequate steps are taken to maintain social distancing once it is permitted to function, particularly, since DMRC has become the lifeline for the residents of Delhi and the NCR region and invariably, the compartments are packed to the gills, which can be dangerous in the current COVID-19 pandemic situation.

The court disposed of a petition seeking directions to operate all the public transport, including Delhi Metro in all districts of the Capital.