Delhi Metro Sees Rush at Peak Hours, Considers Closing Gates to Avoid Long Queues. Read Details Here

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on Thursday reported an increase in footfall on several routes during peak hours, and said that it may lead to long queues outside the stations, and even closing of gates if it continues.

DMRC’s Executive Director, Corporate Communications, Anuj Dayal said: “In recent days, it has been observed that certain sections of the Metro network are showing a trend where occupancy is touching 100 per cent mark during morning and evening peak hours.”

These routes include Dilshad Garden-Shastri Park, Mundka-Kirti Nagar, Kirti Nagar- Mandi House, New Bus Adda-Dilshad Garden and Escorts Mujesar-Badarpur.

“Such a pattern during peak hours, if it continues, and is repeated on the other sections too in the coming days, may lead to long queues outside the stations due to regulated entry which is essential for ensuring social distancing inside station premises and closing of gates etc. thereby, further increasing the journey time and inconvenience during travel,” he said.

Dayal requested the general public to “break the peak” by staggering their travel timings to decongest the peak hours and avail the additional capacity available during off-peak hours for their own convenience and safety amidst the pandemic.

The Delhi Metro, the lifeline of the city and the National Capital Region, resumed its services on September 7 in a graded manner. From September 12, all the lines were opened with new norms of social distancing in place owing to the coronavirus pandemic. Since resumption, 9-10 lakh people are travelling daily, one fifth of the earlier capacity.

To provide better occupancy in the changed scenario, DMRC also introduced peak hour frequency of trains from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., doing away with the concept of off-peak hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. where services were available with less trains or trips earlier.

In addition, public was also advised to avoid unnecessary travel as far as possible and stagger travel timings for office, home, other works to the extent possible to ‘break the peak’ for their own convenience and a more judicious utilisation of the capacity-cum-occupancy being offered by the DMRC to the public as per the new norms.