BENGALURU: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) has decided to make it mandatory for passengers to display the Aarogya Setu app on a smartphone before entering stations, whenever the utility resumes operations.
The corporation has installed boards spelling out instructions passengers must follow — wear mask, hold smartphone with Aarogya Setu app and Metro smartcard and show them to the guard, proceed for thermal scanning and sanitise hands. No tokens will be issued. Users won’t be able to recharge smartcards at counters and will have to pay online.
It may be recalled that the Centre had recently told Karnataka high court that it’s not mandatory for a person wishing to travel by air or rail to download the contact-tracing app on mobile and that its use was voluntary.
BMRCL managing director Ajay Seth, however, said: “This is for the safety of passengers.” He added: “Metro can commence only with social distancing. That means there shouldn’t be more than 65 passengers in a coach. We intend to make Aarogya Setu mandatory. Metro normally carries up to 6-8 passengers per sqm. If social distancing is not maintained, it can lead to spread of the virus.”
Vinay Sreenivasa, urban mobility activist, said: “BMRCL has become antipoor and is making them struggle more by coming up with these rules. It’s unfair to deny entry to those without smartphone and to insist on online recharge. The Centre has already told the court Aarogya Setu is voluntary, then how can they insist on it?”
Only 65 passengers can travel in 1 coach
BMRCL has decided to run trains carrying only 65 passengers in a coach.
Speaking at a webinar on ‘restoring public transport for the new normal – the challenges ahead’, Seth said: “Metro will not carry more than 20% passenger capacity to ensure social distancing. A six-coach train will ferry only around 350 passengers for the next four-six months.” He added: “Only alternate seats will be occupied. Stickers will be pasted on seats which are not to be occupied.”
Seth said they are ready to commence operations on three days’ notice. “We are planning to speed up launch of National Common Mobility Card or One Nation One Card by December. Around 3 lakh of 5 lakh passengers use cards.”
The corporation has installed boards spelling out instructions passengers must follow — wear mask, hold smartphone with Aarogya Setu app and Metro smartcard and show them to the guard, proceed for thermal scanning and sanitise hands. No tokens will be issued. Users won’t be able to recharge smartcards at counters and will have to pay online.
It may be recalled that the Centre had recently told Karnataka high court that it’s not mandatory for a person wishing to travel by air or rail to download the contact-tracing app on mobile and that its use was voluntary.
BMRCL managing director Ajay Seth, however, said: “This is for the safety of passengers.” He added: “Metro can commence only with social distancing. That means there shouldn’t be more than 65 passengers in a coach. We intend to make Aarogya Setu mandatory. Metro normally carries up to 6-8 passengers per sqm. If social distancing is not maintained, it can lead to spread of the virus.”
Vinay Sreenivasa, urban mobility activist, said: “BMRCL has become antipoor and is making them struggle more by coming up with these rules. It’s unfair to deny entry to those without smartphone and to insist on online recharge. The Centre has already told the court Aarogya Setu is voluntary, then how can they insist on it?”
Only 65 passengers can travel in 1 coach
BMRCL has decided to run trains carrying only 65 passengers in a coach.
Speaking at a webinar on ‘restoring public transport for the new normal – the challenges ahead’, Seth said: “Metro will not carry more than 20% passenger capacity to ensure social distancing. A six-coach train will ferry only around 350 passengers for the next four-six months.” He added: “Only alternate seats will be occupied. Stickers will be pasted on seats which are not to be occupied.”
Seth said they are ready to commence operations on three days’ notice. “We are planning to speed up launch of National Common Mobility Card or One Nation One Card by December. Around 3 lakh of 5 lakh passengers use cards.”
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