Delhi Metro Issues Advisory For Commuters, Only 50% Seating Allowed

New Delhi: Hours after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the second phase of Unlock procedure in the capital city, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Saturday announced that metro services would be resumed for the general public from Monday, June 7.

While making the announcement, DMRC also pointed out that Delhi metros will operate with only 50 per cent capacity till further notice.

"In the wake of revised guidelines issued today by the Govt. of NCT of Delhi; on the extension of Curfew in Delhi for the containment of Covid-19, the Delhi Metro services will be resumed for general public from 7th June 2021 with 50% seating capacity only," DMRC tweeted.

Further DMRC also noted that only half of the available metro trains will be inducted into service with a frequency ranging from approximately 5 to 15 min on different lines. 

However, frequency of metros will be increased to full strength "in a graded manner" by Wednesday following which the services would be operational at 100 per cent capacity, which was available before the lockdown.

DMRC Advisory For Passengers:

DMRC has urged all passengers to plan their daily commute by allocating some extra time to accommodate the 50 per cent seating capacity inside the trains and also to ensure social distancing.

“In order to ensure social distancing and compliance to 50% seating inside trains, public is also advised to take extra time for their daily commute and exhibit Covid appropriate behaviour outside the stations also while waiting for their turn to enter the station,” it said.

Delhi Unlock 2 From June 7

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal announced various relaxations, allowing Delhi Metro trains to operate with 50 per cent capacity and shops in markets and malls to reopen on odd-even basis from June 7 as he asserted that the city's economy needs to be revived in view of improving COVID-19 situation.

The government also allowed all standalone and neighbourhood shops to function, implying that liquor vends will reopen from Monday when all the new relaxations will come into force in the national capital.

"As situation has gradually been improving in view of which the process of unlock was started last week with allowing manufacturing and construction activities in Delhi," Kejriwal said while making the announcement.