Two metro trains are being run daily from each terminal station, twice a day even as commercial operations remain suspended till April 14 due to the nationwide lockdown announced to curb the COVID-19 outbreak, in a bid to keep the system “healthy”, a Delhi Metro official said.
Working in shifts
With a complete shutdown of operations since March 22, the Delhi Metro network with 286 stations spanning over 390 km, was being maintained by a reduced number of staff, working in shifts, to ensure the “functionality of the system” remains intact, the official said.
“Two trains run daily from every terminal station in the morning and evening hours except on the Airport Express Line and the Grey Line. On these two lines, train movement will be done every sixth day, in the morning hours only,” said a senior DMRC official.
The official added, “The train movement exercise is aimed at ensuring good health and functionality of all the systems like track, traction, signalling, telecommunication and so on, which are required for smooth running of the metro services on normal days.”
Terminal stations on all lines, interchange stations and depot entry or exit stations were also being manned round the clock, officials said while adding that the unmanned stations are inspected by the station managers, every sixth day.
“Purpose is to visit the stations and check the health of the system periodically and ensuring all the systems are working fine,” the official said.
A group of staff are also deployed at the Operation Control Centres in Metro Bhawan and Shastri Park, with a staff of 2-3 persons per shift, instead of the usual 10-12 people per shift.
Safety reasons
“Additionally, supply to commercial outlets especially, shops or kiosks may be cut off due to safety reasons. All equipment whose functionality is not required due to non-functioning of the metro service for public will be switched off during the lockdown period,” the official said.
Metro officials added that CISF personnel manning all stations were also periodically monitoring CCTV footage to report any unusual activity at empty stations.
