Unlock 4.0: Delhi Metro may restart operations; limited entry, shorter duty hours part of SOP

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has prepared a set of guidelines in order to resume operations of the Delhi Metro. The corporation will only open specified entry and exit points to ensure social distancing when Delhi Metro restarts. The DMRC is likely to restart Delhi Metro services in the next phase of unlocking.

The DMRC has prepared its standard operating procedures (SOPs) and is awaiting Centre's nod to restart metro services. The SOPs are subject to approval by the Union Home Ministry.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, in order to control footfall, only 257 entry/exit gates of the 671 gates would be opened. Initially, a maximum of two gates at 242 stations are likely to be opened -- that too at stations such as Rajiv Chowk and Kashmere Gate that witness heavy footfall. A total of 32 gates out of the 70 would be opened at 31 stations on the Red Line. On the Yellow Line, 39 gates out of the 116 would be opened.

DMRC will assign officials in the ranks of assistant manager, manager, senior supervisor for "special duty" in order to ensure social distancing and other COVID-19 precautions. The officials will be responsible for station orderliness and will visit all places of public interface including frisking points, platforms, entry/exit at AFC gates, customer care/ticketing centres, lifts and escalators at regular intervals, the daily stated.

There are also speculations that metro services might be curtailed as the shifts of officials in-charge end at 8:30pm, as per the SOP document. Every passenger would be scanned thermally and would require to wear a mask at all times. Sanitisers would also be available at entry points. Officials would also oversee the cleaning of the station area.

Only three people would be allowed inside the lift and people using elevators must ensure a gap of one step from other passengers.

The DMRC stopped Delhi Metro services on March 22. The Delhi metro has 10 corridors across its 389-km network.

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