NEW DELHI, Mar 22: Delhi Metro services will be largely closed on Monday except for a few hours to incentivise social distancing amid a spurt in coronavirus cases, officials said.
Services will begin at 6 AM and will be available till 8 AM at a frequency of 20 minutes, only for people involved in essential services like hospitals, fire, electricity, police etc.
They will be allowed to enter metro stations on producing their identification cards to security personnel, a DMRC official said.
Services from 8-10 AM will be available at a normal frequency as on regular days. During this period general public can also travel and no identification will be required at the time of entry, he said. “Services from 10 AM to 4 PM will not be available. However, all the trains which started at 10 AM from originating stations of all lines will continue to run till they reach their destination stations,” he said.
Services from 4-8 PM will again be available, but will cease after 8 pm onwards. However, the last train service starting at 8 PM from originating station will continue to run till it reaches its destination, he said. Parking at the metro stations will also remain closed on Monday, the DMRC said.
“These modified metro services are applicable for this Monday only. If there is any further requirement to continue the same pattern in the larger public interest, the same shall be informed accordingly,” the DMRC said in a statement. “The objective of this staggered metro services plan on Monday is aimed at facilitating all stakeholders with effectiveness and to promote ‘social distancing’ which is very much required to contain spread of coronavirus,” it said.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi has mounted to 27. On Sunday, metro services will be closed in view of the ‘Janata curfew’. In the prevalent scenario where authorities have shut malls, restaurants, major markets etc. To prevent spread of the virus, it is responsibility of metro passengers also to co-operate with DMRC and help fight coronavirus outbreak collectively, the statement said. (PTI)
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