- By Abhinav Gupta
- Tue, 26 May 2020 12:10 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: After remaining off the tracks for more than 2 months, the Delhi Metro is all set to resume its services and is waiting for Centre’s nod, according to a Times of India report.
The report quoted Delhi Metro sources saying that the entire staff has been asked to report for duty on Tuesday. “There are over 14,000 staffers on DMRC’s rolls and we have all been asked to report for work on Tuesday. We were already on standby and were reporting for duty on a rotational basis. Now, a thorough briefing on how we should operate in the changed circumstances is expected to take place,” a DMRC official was quoted by Times of India as saying.
The report further quoted sources saying that Delhi Metro is likely to get Centre’s approval to resume service before May 31, when the fourth phase of lockdown comes to an end.
Initially, operations may be allowed for staggered timings and only government officials and those involved in essential services may be allowed to travel.
The report quoted an official saying that Delhi metro was ready to resume services by May 18 but didn’t get the Centre’s nod.
As the fourth phase of lockdown kicked in, buses, cabs and auto-rickshaws were allowed to ply on the roads but metro train services were not allowed anywhere in the country.
As per the report, Delhi Metro is set to resume operations with a notice period of 24 hours. Trains are already run twice a day on all corridors to keep the system 'alive'.
The premises of all stations are being sanitised and signboards are being put up on platforms, customer care areas and entry/exit points to ensure social distancing.
As per the Standard Operating Procedures (SPOs) prepared by Delhi Metro, it will be compulsory for passengers to wear face masks, undergo thermal screening and have the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile phones. Only those having smart cards will be allowed to travel and every seat will be kept vacant.