DMRC releases metro schedule during Delhi lockdown, 30-min frequency during peak hours, 60-mins during non-peak hours

DMRC releases metro schedule during Delhi lockdown, 30-min frequency during peak hours, 60-mins during non-peak hours

The Delhi Metro Railway Corporation in a bid to curb cases announced that there will be a thirty-minute frequency between trains during peak hours and sixty-minute frequency during non-peak hours during the curfew imposed by Delhi government in a bid to curb the surge in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases starting to April 19 evening to April 26.

Commuters wearing face masks at Karkarduma Metro station. (Raj K Raj/ Hindustan Times)

Delhi Metro in a statement said that during the non-peak hours people from the exempted category will be allowed to travel. "In view of the curfew imposed in Delhi from 10 pm today till 5am on 26 April, Delhi Metro services will be available during the morning (8 AM to 10 AM) and evening (5 PM to 7 PM) peak hours across the network with a headway (frequency) of 30 minutes," DMRC said.

"For rest of the hours of the day, metro rail services across the network will be available with a frequency of 60 min only. Services during this period can be availed only by the exempted category of people on the production of the valid IDs," the statement further said.

Delhi Metro will operate with 50% capacity during the curfew period and services linked to the Delhi Metro like the feeder bus services will ply with 50% of their seating capacity.

Along with the Delhi Metro, Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) will also ply with 50% capacity due to the rise in cases. The Delhi government has also allowed taxis, auto-rickshaws, cabs, 'Gramin Sewa' and 'Phat-Phat Sewa' along with e-rickshaws to ply with maximum 2 passengers. People going for medical services, to and from airports and railway stations will be exempted during the week-long curfew.

The decision to impose a week-long curfew came as Delhi saw its positivity rate increasing as the Capital reported record single-day surges in Covid-19 cases since the onset of the pandemic. The government fears that is the lockdown-like measures are not introduced more people will fall sick leading to a collapse of the healthcare infrastructure in the city.