Delhi Metro: Full steam ahead from Saturday, no off-peak hours

NEW DELHI: Friday will see the entire Delhi Metro network being thrown open to commuters after five months, with the exception of the standalone Airport Express Line. What is more, the service timings will also be extended. With the train network’s carrying capacity reduced due to Covid-19 prevention measures, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has also decided to do away with the concept of ‘off peak’ hours and make trains available with optimum frequency from 8 am to 8 pm starting on Saturday.
From Saturday, trains will be available at a frequency of 3-15 minutes from start of services to am and again from 8pm to close of services. Between 8am to 8pm, trains will be available at a frequency of 2 minutes 45 seconds to 6 minutes, said Anuj Dayal, executive director (corporate communications), DMRC.

The 37.5-km Magenta Line, which not only connects Botanical Garden in Noida with Janakpuri West but also serves as a major link between Noida and Gurugram through the interchange facility with Yellow Line (Samaypur Badli-HUDA City Centre) at the Hauz Khas station, will resume operations on Friday, as will the 4.3-km Grey Line (Dwarka-Najafgarh).
Trains will be available from 7am to 1pm and 4pm to 10pm, but from Saturday, the entire Delhi Metro network comprising 349 km and 242 metro stations will be running and the revert to the pre-lockdown timings of 6am to 11pm with broadly the same train frequencies as those before the March suspension of trains, Dayal said.
On Friday, DMRC will put altogether 288 trains into service on its eight corridors, which will make a total of 3,654 trips. “The general public is once again advised to adhere to social distancing requirements and preventive guidelines during the travel on Delhi Metro due to the pandemic,” said Dayal. “They should also keep following DMRC’s website and social media platforms for regular updates on various Dos & Don’ts that must mandatorily be followed before heading for the metro station from their homes for their own convenience.”
From Sunday, September 13, trains will be available from 6am, but starting from September 20, services on Sundays will commence at 8am from all such sections that were observing this time regime before the lockdown, added Dayal.