Gurgaon: Long queues Trains were seen outside several metro stations in Gurgaon on Wednesday after Delhi announced that trains will run at 50% capacity, with no provision for standing passenger,
Commuters, who were seen pushing to proceed in the queues, expressed concern over the rush and wait times. Lower passenger capacityThis, he said, was in vain as many were forced to stand in queues at stations and platforms. social distancing,
amid the increase in cases of covid District Disaster Management Authority in the National Capital (DDMA) imposed new restrictions and limited seating capacity Delhi Metro has 50% seating capacity and no standing passengers are allowed.
Sarita Yadav, 38, of Dharuhera, who was traveling to Delhi, said she would have started earlier if she had known there would be delays. Yadav, who was supposed to reach Delhi at 11.30 am for a work-related appointment, had to stand in a queue outside the metro station till noon.
Another 34-year-old Satish Kumar, who also had to stand in queue for almost half an hour, claimed that he missed an important meeting at work. “What’s the matter? We are standing back to back in long queues outside. Won’t we stand here in the queue and take Covid inside the metro station? Isn’t this whole government exercise in vain and to create inconvenience for us. It is,” Kumar said.
Two CISF personnel posted outside the IFFCO Chowk metro station to manage the queue said the gates were locked for 5 minutes after each batch of 10 people were sent inside the station. “We have got the order that a batch of 10 people will go inside after which the second batch will have to wait for a few minutes before allowing them. This is being done in the backdrop of the COVID situation,” said a CISF jawan.
While some commuters lauded the government’s decision, some said that the authorities should have made provisions to better manage the crowd outside the stations. “Metro authorities and CISF personnel are not able to manage the crowd well. People pushing each other, leaning on each other, defeating the whole purpose of Covid-appropriate behaviour,” said 38-year-old Kavish.
Meanwhile, serpentine queues to enter a metro station and waiting periods, which are sometimes longer than the journey, were back in Delhi on Wednesday, along with huge crowds at bus stops during rush hour Covid-graded. Level 1 of the Response Action Plan (GRAP) was put in place. In order to regulate the number of passengers inside stations and trains to ensure COVID-appropriate behaviour, DMRC has kept only 444 out of the total 712 gates of the network open.
It has also requested the passengers to travel only if necessary and to keep some extra time for the journey. DMRC has deployed 15 flying squads to maintain security protocols.
“Not everyone has the luxury of working from home and since private offices have been allowed to open, people like me have no option but to go to work. I cannot afford the Metro and the buses are allowing very few passengers,” said Rajesh Pal, a resident of Kapashera.
Amit Bhatt, executive director (integrated transport), WRI India, said that something should be done to reduce the demand on public transport and encourage more people to work remotely, except for those whose jobs are demanding. that they are in the area. “In global experience, there is no empirical study that says that public transport has helped spread of Covid,” he said.
Commuters, who were seen pushing to proceed in the queues, expressed concern over the rush and wait times. Lower passenger capacityThis, he said, was in vain as many were forced to stand in queues at stations and platforms. social distancing,
amid the increase in cases of covid District Disaster Management Authority in the National Capital (DDMA) imposed new restrictions and limited seating capacity Delhi Metro has 50% seating capacity and no standing passengers are allowed.
Sarita Yadav, 38, of Dharuhera, who was traveling to Delhi, said she would have started earlier if she had known there would be delays. Yadav, who was supposed to reach Delhi at 11.30 am for a work-related appointment, had to stand in a queue outside the metro station till noon.
Another 34-year-old Satish Kumar, who also had to stand in queue for almost half an hour, claimed that he missed an important meeting at work. “What’s the matter? We are standing back to back in long queues outside. Won’t we stand here in the queue and take Covid inside the metro station? Isn’t this whole government exercise in vain and to create inconvenience for us. It is,” Kumar said.
Two CISF personnel posted outside the IFFCO Chowk metro station to manage the queue said the gates were locked for 5 minutes after each batch of 10 people were sent inside the station. “We have got the order that a batch of 10 people will go inside after which the second batch will have to wait for a few minutes before allowing them. This is being done in the backdrop of the COVID situation,” said a CISF jawan.
While some commuters lauded the government’s decision, some said that the authorities should have made provisions to better manage the crowd outside the stations. “Metro authorities and CISF personnel are not able to manage the crowd well. People pushing each other, leaning on each other, defeating the whole purpose of Covid-appropriate behaviour,” said 38-year-old Kavish.
Meanwhile, serpentine queues to enter a metro station and waiting periods, which are sometimes longer than the journey, were back in Delhi on Wednesday, along with huge crowds at bus stops during rush hour Covid-graded. Level 1 of the Response Action Plan (GRAP) was put in place. In order to regulate the number of passengers inside stations and trains to ensure COVID-appropriate behaviour, DMRC has kept only 444 out of the total 712 gates of the network open.
It has also requested the passengers to travel only if necessary and to keep some extra time for the journey. DMRC has deployed 15 flying squads to maintain security protocols.
“Not everyone has the luxury of working from home and since private offices have been allowed to open, people like me have no option but to go to work. I cannot afford the Metro and the buses are allowing very few passengers,” said Rajesh Pal, a resident of Kapashera.
Amit Bhatt, executive director (integrated transport), WRI India, said that something should be done to reduce the demand on public transport and encourage more people to work remotely, except for those whose jobs are demanding. that they are in the area. “In global experience, there is no empirical study that says that public transport has helped spread of Covid,” he said.
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