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As cases rise, Metro amps up checks to limit crowds, enforce Covid protocols
New Delhi: With the number of Covid-19 infections increasing rapidly in the national capital, the Delhi Metro has tightened protocols to ensure social distancing norms are followed inside stations and trains
New Delhi: With the number of Covid-19 infections increasing rapidly in the national capital, the Delhi Metro has tightened protocols to ensure social distancing norms are followed inside stations and trains.
Senior officials of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said these measures included shutting entry gates for crowd management inside stations, to increasing the number of flying squads to check violations inside trains, over the last fortnight, strict enforcement of Covid appropriate behaviour is being ensured.
“We are closely monitoring the situation. Flying squads are regularly inspecting trains and stations to ensure Covid protocols are followed. Passengers are being penalised and counselled. We are also shutting entry to stations temporarily to ensure there is no crowding,” said Anuj Dayal, executive director (corporate communications), DMRC.
DMRC on Tuesday closed off entry to at least seven metro stations temporarily at various points. These stations included, Saket, Qutub Minar, New Delhi, Chandni Chowk, Kashmere Gate, Seelampur and Shastri Park.
Apart from the entry restrictions, DMRC has also intensified penalising passengers found travelling without masks.
DMRC data shows that between April 1 and April 12, 6755 commuters were prosecuted for not wearing masks inside the Metro stations and inside trains.
Metro officials confirmed that while such a plan to close off entry to stations for crowd management inside stations was announced when the network was opened for public after a five-month-long lockdown on September 7 last year this was implemented on-ground only from April 6 this year, when the number of infections in the city started increasing again.
On Tuesday, Delhi reported xx cases of Covid-19 infections, the highest single day numbers to ever be recorded since the pandemic broke out (to confirm after the numbers are released. On Monday, Delhi reported 11, 491 cases and 72 deaths.
On April 6, entry was restricted at four stations, on April 8 the gates were closed off for one station, and on April 12, entry to four stations was restricted for different durations to manage the crowd inside stations.
Many commuters, who were stranded outside the stations on Tuesday, said that closing of gates was leading to counterproductive results as large crowds gathered outside stations waiting to get in.
Commuters complained that the wait outside stations, especially the interchange stations such as Kashmere Gate and New Delhi, was as much as 45 minutes.
“What are they gaining by closing off entry? Crowds have been gathering outside because of this unannounced closure. If they allow people to go, there will be smooth movement and no crowding,” said Sudha Sriniwas, a commuter who was waiting outside Kashmere Gate.
Metro officials, however, said that it was imperative that all the precautions are followed to the T at this time to ensure that the Metro does not have to face another shutdown.
“We are conducting regular meetings with the centre and Delhi government representatives to give updates of our safety protocol. It is imperative that a mass transit network like the Delhi Metro follow all precautions. This has been a first experience for us but we have been doing a good job and ensuring that the Covid protocol is thoroughly maintained,” said a senior DMRC official.
