Chennai Metro rail operation hours extended as footfalls up

CHENNAI: Chennai Metro Rail Limited has extended its train timings and also increased peak hour services.
From Thursday, metro trains will operate from 5.30am to 9pm, and peak hours will be from 8am to 11am and from 5pm to 8pm. Trains will be available every 10 minutes during non-peak hours and every five minutes during peak hours. The extension of timings comes at a time when footfalls are increasing. Regular commuters complained about trains getting crowded during peak hours and they fear contracting the infection, despite government instruction to operate trains at 50% capacity. At present, an average 47,000 people are using the service every day.
CMRL said it has imposed a fine of Rs 200 on 34 passengers so far for not wearing masks properly at its stations and in trains. It has deployed a squad to ensure all passengers wear masks. Crowd control/platform management staff have been deployed to ensure passengers maintain physical distance. “All train and stations are disinfected frequently,” a release from the agency said.