For the first time after the nationwide lockdown owing to COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent unlock, Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) ran its metro trains on all the three corridors of Red, Blue and Green carrying a total of 31,000 passengers with all the COVID-19 safety protocols in place on Thursday.

Nearly six months after the services were shut and on the third day of commencing commercial operations, including the Corridor II or the Green Line from Jubilee Bus Station to MGBS, Imlibun, connecting the two main bus stations of the twin cities and into the old city, the metro rail authorities said 19,000 passengers travelled on Corridor 1; 9,000 passengers travelled on Corridor III and 3,000 passengers travelled on Corridor II.

The number of trips have been 680 and 51 trains were run. This is up from 120 trips on the first day when just one corridor was opened — Red Line from L.B. Nagar to Miyapur, to 240 trips on the second day when Blue Line or corridor two from Raidurg to Nagole too opened. The passenger count too has been increasing, even if slowly, from 19,000 on the first day to 26,000 on the second day when the services were run for limited hours from 7 a.m. to 12 noon and again from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

HMR Managing Director N.V.S. Reddy informed that the services are now being run non-stop from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will continue with all the attendant safety rules like mandatory face masks, social distancing with markings made on station floors and inside the train coaches and thermal screening for temperature checks before entry. Coins as tokens for entry into the station have been dispensed with to prevent spread of coronavirus and passengers have to opt for smart carts or QR-code based mobile paper ticketing system which are contactless. Mr. Reddy also stated that the passengers are being asked to scan the QR code on the boarding coaches as it can help in contract tracing if required.

Safety precautions are monitored through the CCTV cameras and announcements are made regularly inside the stations. Passengers, thus far, have been diligent in adhering to the safety guidelines and the numbers too have been manageable. Sanitising coaches and all contact points is also being taken up at frequent intervals and after the last trips are completed, he added.