Metro services in cities like Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru will resume. However, Maharashtra government has decided not to run the metro.
New Delhi | The government released guidelines for the metro train service amid Coronavirus situation starting on 7 September. Notably, the metro service in Delhi will run in two shifts a day. It will be launched in three phases. There will be a break of 5 hours in between, during which sanitization will be carried out. The metro will not stop at the station where social distancing will not be followed.
The journey will be through smart card only and not through token. Payment for smart card will be cashless or online. There will be no cash facility for this. Metro service has been closed since March due to Corona. Last week, the Ministry of Home Affairs, while releasing the guidelines for Unlock-4, announced a waiver to start the metro in Phased Manner from September 7.
On Tuesday, Durga Shankar Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Urban Affairs, had a discussion with the managing directors of metro companies. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has decided not to run the metro in the month September. According to the state government, Mumbai Lane-1 and Maha Metro can be started from October. However, official confirmation on this is awaited.
Guidelines for Delhi Metro
Initially, only a few gates of the metro station will be open. There will be entry from one gate and exit from the other.
Only smart cardholders will be able to travel by Metro. There will be cashless transaction. Online transaction will be allowed for this.
Passengers have to follow rules like compulsory face masks and social distancing.
Metro stations coming into the Containment Zone will remain closed for the time being.
Passengers will be able to buy masks at the station. It will be mandatory to wear a mask during the journey.
Marking will have to be done inside the station and train for social distancing.
Travelers have been advised to travel with a minimum of luggage.
Only asymptomatic people will be allowed to travel after thermal scanning at the entry point.
Symptomatic people will be advised to go to the nearby Covid Care Center or Hospital. The Arogya Setu app also needs to be encouraged to use.
Chennai metro
Metro trains will start running from 7 September.
Only three people will be allowed to sit on a 7 seater bench in a coach.
Only 4 people will be allowed to use escalator at a time.
All will be screened through thermal screening before entry into the metro station.
Everyone has to sanitize hands at the time of entry.
Metro trains will run every 10 minutes at peak time while every 15 minutes at non-peak time.
Chennai Metro Rail Limited has provided foot operated lift.
Bengaluru Metro
From September 7, metro trains will start in different phases.
Passengers are required to maintain social distancing.
One-third people are allowed to sit in a 6-coach train.
Everyone will have thermal checking at the entry gate.
Only e-tickets will be issued to passengers.
Kolkata Metro
From September 8, the metro train will be run in different phases.
Passengers have to download the Arogya Setu app before entry in the metro station.
Token facility won’t be available. Those who already have smart cards will be able to travel.
The new smart card will not be issued at the moment.
Smart cards can be recharged online.
Cochin Metro
Cochin metro trains will run every 20 minutes.
First train will start at 7 am and last at 8 pm.
There will be at least 20 second stoppage of the train at every station for proper ventilation.
The train will stop at least 5 minutes at the terminating station and in the meantime the train door will remain open.
Hyderabad Metro
From September 7, trains will start running on the tracks.
Train and station will be sanitized continuously.
The doors will be kept open for longer hours at the station for ventilation in the train.
Compulsory social distancing.
Jaipur Metro
Social distancing must be followed at the station and train.
A coach can seat a maximum of 50 people.
The last train will run at 10 pm.
During the journey, passengers will not be able to sit on the Red Cross seat.
It will be mandatory for the traveler to wear a mask.
Thermal screening will be done at the entry point.
The temperature of AC will be kept between 24 and 28 degrees.
Passengers have to use the ladder instead of the lift.
Hand sanitization has to be done at the entry gate.
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