Long queues of commuters were seen outside most Metro stations on Wednesday following the imposition of the “Yellow alert” in the national capital in the wake of the fast rise in the daily fresh cases of Covid-19. One could notice anxiety on their faces to travel to their destinations.
The “Yellow alert”, declared by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), entails that Delhi Metro trains and buses will run with their 50 per cent seating capacity till the DDMA order remains in force.
Some commuters said they were finding it difficult to reach their destination in time because of the long waiting time for finding entry into a train. Queues were longer during the morning and evening hours when office-going people use the Metro services.
One passenger, Karan, who was waiting for a Metro train at Rajiv Chowk station, said, “The authorities’ decision to allow running of Metro trains at 50 per cent of the seating capacity was good in view of the fear of fast spread of Omicron infections, but there should have been better arrangement to take care of the requirement of commuters. It is a major problem we are faced with, as only Metro trains suit people like me who have to cover a long distance to reach office and go back home.”
Another commuter, Vivek Singh, said, “We are facing a lot of inconvenience because of the curbs imposed by authorities, but it is in our own interest. These are Covid-19 times and we have to go by whatever decision the government takes. There is, however, need for more focus on public transport system like the Metro trains.”
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said in a tweet, “In view of the restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of the Covid -19 pandemic, entry through some of the gates would be regulated. Passengers are therefore requested to travel only if absolutely essential and keep some additional time for their travel.”