Sitting on alternate seats, mandatory usage of smart cards instead of tokens, restricted access for entering and exiting stations are some of the new changes commuters travelling on the Delhi Metro will have to adapt to.
Services on the Delhi Metro is set to resume, after over five months, from September 7 in a graded manner with staggered timings.
As a crowd control measure, each station across the network will have only one or a maximum of two entry and exit gates functional.
At each of the functional entry gates, thermal scanners and sanitisers have been put in place.
“Passengers having temperature or signs of COVID-19 will not be allowed to travel. They will be directed to report to the nearest medical centre,” metro officials said.
Once inside the respective stations, commuters will have to follow the signs and marks which have been made across platforms indicating social distancing measures. While 2-3 people will be allowed inside lifts at a time, on escalators people are required to stand on alternate steps in order to maintain social distancing.
In a bid to prevent chances of transmission of the virus, all commuters will be required to use smart cards instead of tokens. Metro officials added that the facility to generate tokens at the Token Vending Machines have been disabled for this purpose.
Officials also added that commuters will be able to use the “Autope” system from Monday itself, that will help recharge smart cards automatically at the AFC (Automatic Fare Collection) gates.
Inside the metro coaches, pre-recorded audio and visual announcements have been added which reinforce the necessity to wear masks at all times and maintain social distancing. Several messages to raise awareness on COVID-19 and protocol to be followed have also been added inside the coaches.
Once the operations resume, the dwell time of trains at stations will increase from 10-15 seconds to 20-25 seconds. At interchange stations stoppage time will be increased from 35-40 seconds to 55-60 seconds.
“This will be done to ensure commuters have enough time to board and alight,” officials added.
To ensure compliance of the new guidelines and travel protocol, a team of 800 officials and staff will also be deployed across stations.
With a series of new protocols in place and increased dwelling time, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has also advised commuters to take an extra time of 10-15 minutes for their daily commute.
On Monday, the Yellow Line (Samaypur Badli to Huda City Centre) and the Rapid Metro Gurugram will be made operational with the metro running between 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m..