Delhi metro services to be closed on Sunday in view of ‘janata curfew’

To be sure, Modi did not pitch for any institutional backing for, what he described, would be a self-imposed curfew by the people between 7 am and 9 pm.

Metro’s decision to suspend all services on March 22 also comes a day after it issued an eight-point advisory, urging people to avail its services “only when it is essential and unavoidable”.

It also put in effect a policy urging commuters to maintain a gap of at least 1 metre among themselves, both inside the train and on the premises of the stations spread across Delhi and the National Capital Region.

“The move is aimed at encouraging public to stay indoors and maintain social distancing, which is essential in the fight against Covid-19,” the DMRC press release stated.

In an eight-point advisory released on Thursday, DMRC also emphasised the need for commuters to maintain at least a metre’s distance from each other inside the trains and at the stations.

“Standing passengers will not be allowed and alternate seats to be left vacant,” the statement said, adding that random thermal scanning of passengers will be carried out at all metro stations.

In some cases, trains will skip stations that are crowded and may lead to more passengers on board.

“Trains may not stop at such stations which are crowded i.e. less than the expected distance of 1 metre between the passengers,” it said.

“In case anyone has fever or is observed to have any symptom of coronavirus, he/she will be referred for medical tests and quarantine to the authorities,” the statement said.

-with ENS inputs