Delhi Metro services will be open to the public from September 7 after a five-month hiatus due to a nationwide coronavirus lockdown. Metro services will reopen between September 7-12 in a graded manner in keeping with the Centre's Unlock 4.0 guidelines. Civil Defence volunteers and personnel from the Transport Department's Enforcement wing will also be deployed to ensure proper social distancing among passengers.
Delhi metro routes, timings
Metro services will resume with specific timings in three stages, according to DMRC director Mangu Singh. Initially, the Delhi Metro will operate on the Samaypur Badli-HUDA City Centre Yellow Line route and its operating duration will be 07:00 am to 11:00 am and 04:00 pm to 08:00 pm. In phase 2, the trains will operate from 07:00 am to 01:00 pm and 04:00 pm to 10:00 pm. During this phase, DMRC will start three more lines- Blue, Pink and Gurgaon lines - from September 9. In the third phase, the DMRC might open the Red Line (Ghaziabad-Rithala route), Bahadurgarh Line, and Faridabad Line after observing the situation.
Delhi Metro stoppages
Trains will stop for 20-25 seconds on a normal station to ensure social distancing. In case of interchange stations, the stoppage time will be around a minute from September 7. Passengers will be under monitoring from control rooms, and anyone found violating COVID-19 precautionary norms can be 'named and shamed' via public announcement systems.
Delhi Metro tokens
Tokens will not be allowed in order to curb the spread of coronavirus. Only online and cashless transactions shall be allowed. All stations apart from those located in containment zones will be open, while only a few gates will be kept open to avoid overcrowding.
Delhi Metro new guidelines
- There will be only one or two entry/exit gates. At Rajiv Chowk, Gate no.7 will be the entry point to the station.
- Stoppage time has also been increased by 10 seconds to 20-25 seconds for normal stations. For interchange stations, the stoppage time has been increased by 20 seconds to nearly one minute
- Metro stations will be disinfected every four hours
- Only smart cardholders are allowed to travel
- Trains will not halt at stations falling in containment zone areas.
- Wearing a facial mask is a must and having the Aarogya Setu app installed is advisable.
- Passengers will have to undergo thermal screening and hand sanitisation at entry points.
- People with high temperatures having symptoms of novel coronavirus shall not be allowed to travel
- Social distancing is a must inside metro trains and stations
- Passengers are advised to travel light