Several passengers arriving at New Delhi railway station were left stranded on Wednesday as their was no public transport available to take them to their destination in the city.
Trains reached the station early in the morning after Railways resumed services on May 12. Passengers said they were not aware that there would be no pubic transport available in the Capital.
Camp near station
Several passengers who had to travel further to their homes in Western Uttar Pradesh, said that they would camp near the station until they find transport.
Taking note of the situation, the Delhi Police said passengers can now avail DTC shuttle service for their onward journey from the station.
For people requiring public transport in the city, the DTC will operate buses from the railway station to 11 district headquarters with the terminal point being the District Magistrate (DM) office complex, the police said.
People using private conveyance can either take Bhavbhuti Marg or Minto Road while those taking DTC buses will have to board from the parking area in front of Ajmeri Gate, the police said.
All arrangements have been made keeping in mind the strict guidelines to be followed in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, the police said. For passengers seeking to reach the station, the DTC has started 20 shuttle busses up to Shivaji Stadium and the Ambedkar terminal, officials said.
Train services were stopped due to COVID-19 pandemic, but special trains meant for public began on Tuesday from New Delhi with three such trains departing for Bilaspur, Dibrugarh and Bengaluru, while four arrived on the same day from Patna, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Howrah.
Elaborate arrangements
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways) Harendra K. Singh said they made elaborate arrangements on Wednesday in close coordination with railway authorities to ensure passengers experience no inconvenience while travelling, at the same time, following the guidelines issued to contain the spread of the virus.
“For passengers boarding trains, dedicated corridor was made on the Paharganj side where people queued up, all wearing masks and maintaining social distance. After thermal scanning, they boarded the trains. Sanitizer dispensers were placed at prominent places for the passengers,” Mr. Singh said.
Through public address system, police teams also guided passengers to take adequate precautions during their journey, he said.
