Delhi Unlock: Metro passengers seen breaking norms on day 1

New Delhi: After nearly a month of complete suspension due to the raging second wave of the COVID pandemic, Delhi today resumed its Delhi Metro rail services operations only to have commuters breaking the norms put in place, IANS reported.

During metro rides from East Delhi's Nirman Vihar metro station to Rajiv Chowk (in the blue line), and from Rajiv Chowk to INA Market (yellow line), despite regular announcements at metro stations that standing passengers were not allowed, rules were not followed.

The government on Saturday had issued guidelines among which one was that no passenger will be allowed to stand in metro coaches, however, many were seen breaking it on Monday.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) started its services with 50 per cent seating capacity on Monday complying with Delhi Disaster Management Authority's (DDMA) guidelines on Covid appropriate behaviour.

Meanwhile, Dr Naveet Wig, chairman of AIIMS COVID Taskforce, on Sunday had advised that Delhi Metro Rail Corporation should not resume its operation immediately. He had recommended that the metro should run at 25- 33 per cent occupancy in its initial weeks of operation.

Delhi has been under strict lockdown due to an unprecedented surge in Covid cases since April 19. While the metro services were completely suspended on May 10.

Now, as Covid cases and daily positivity rate continues to decline, the Delhi administration has started a phase-wise unlocking exercise.

In the process for the second consecutive week, after permitting for construction and manufacturing/ factories since May 31, DDMA in its order issued on Saturday has allowed opening markets and malls in Delhi on an alternate day (odd-even basis), which will be decided on the basis of shop's number.

Apart from all these, Government and private offices will also reopen and to ensure Covid appropriate behaviour, Delhi police personnel have been deployed outside metro stations.

Umed Singh, a police official deployed at Connaught Place, said, "We have been directed to ensure that people do not assemble at one place and follow Covid guidelines. We have to make a video of public movement."