The temperature within Kochi Metro trains will be maintained at 26-degree centigrade and relative humidity at 70 degrees, to enable safe commuting during the pandemic, A Manikandan, General Manager (Operation and Maintenance) of KMRL said.
Speaking to media persons at the metro's coach depot in Muttom near Aluva, he said that personnel of the mainline wing will frequently inspect the water content in the ambient air within coaches when trains call arrive at stations, to maintain it at 70 degrees. Adequate number of humidity meters has been purchased for this. The temperature will be maintained at 26 degrees, to rule out the possibility of coronavirus in case temperature is lessened, he said.
In addition, personnel of eight departments within KMRL will adhere to detailed guidelines issued by the Centre as part of Unlock-4.They would have to enter real time remarks after inspection of trains and allied metro systems, to ensure that services are fit to operate in keeping with the guidelines, Mr Manikandan said.
A total of 10 trains will operate initially, at a 10-minute frequency. The increase in 'dwelling time' at stations from 10 seconds to 20 seconds would marginally increase travel time in the Aluva-Pettah corridor from 45 minutes to 47 minutes. Screening of commuters will be easier of they have installed ArogyaSethu app in their cell phones, he added.
The KMRL had already made it clear that it would not encourage cash transactions at metro stations to prevent currency notes from becoming a medium of transmission for the disease. Trains at the yard are being fogged and sanitised, as a precursor to the resumption of service from Monday. Kudumbasree personnel who man metro stations and the yard have been imparted specialised training in keeping with Covid-prevention guidelines.