Delhi Metro Latest Update: Start from Monday, Delhi government also ready; Guidelines released

Delhi Metro Latest Update: Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot met in Delhi Secretariat on Friday to review the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for reopening of metro services in Delhi. In a meeting with officials of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Transport Department, it was decided that the Transport Department will deploy its Enforcement Teams (Enforcement Wing) at crowded metro stations. Apart from this, Civil Defense Volunteer will also be deployed. The Transport Minister said that various lines of Delhi Metro will start functioning from 7 September and by 12 September all lines will be fully opened. In a total of three phases, the Metro will be fully operational.

First stage

The Transport Minister said that the Metro stations in Phase-1 will be operated from 7 am to 11 pm and from 4 pm to 8 pm in the evening. There will be three phases in this phase. That is phase-1, phase-2 and phase-3. The metro operations in Phase-1 will start from 7 September and Line 2 including Rapid Metro Gurgaon will be commissioned in this phase. In Phase-2, lines 3, 4 and 7 will also be operational from 9 September. In Phase-3, which is going to start from 10 September, lines 1, 5 and 6 will be commissioned.

Second stage

Starting on September 11, Metro services will be in Phase-II from 7 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 10 pm. Apart from this, lines 8 and 9 will also be commissioned in this phase.  

third step

Starting on September 12, Metro services will become regular in Phase-3 from 6 am to 11 pm as before.

No permission to travel with tokens

The Transport Minister said that frequency of trains will be regulated at all stations to reduce passenger congestion. Marking will also be done inside stations and trains to ensure adherence to physical distance. All stations located in the Containment Zone (Seal) will remain closed. Only healthy individuals will be allowed to travel after thermal screening.

Wearing a mask is mandatory

The sanitizer will be available at every entrance for passengers to use, with it being mandatory for everyone to wear masks. Currently, tokens will not be able to be used for metro travel, as it increases the risk of spreading the virus. Use of smart cards, cashless recharge and Arogya Setu app will be encouraged. The Delhi government will deploy civil defense volunteers and enforcement wing to ensure strict compliance of physical distance norms and crowd management at stations along with police and Delhi Metro employees.

Trains will stay at the station for a long time

It has also been said that the train will stop longer at the stations. The guidelines of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and the Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers for the operation of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems will be strictly followed. The Transport Minister said that the number of entrances at the stations will be reduced to one or two. Kiosks, ATMs and other shops will be allowed to open, following strict rules.

Feeder buses will be closed

Parking facilities will be operational at metro stations, but feeder buses will be closed for the time being. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and the Department of Transport are campaigning to inform, educate passengers about the safety protocol by various means. Kailash Gehlot said that we will ensure that all necessary precautions are taken.