The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) began an encroachment removal drive at Lal Qila and Chandni Chowk metro stations on Monday. The drive will continue till June 17. DMRC officials said that the drive was necessitated by vendors, rickshaws, autos and selling carts crowding near metro stations gates, making it difficult for passengers to navigate the area. The corporation also plans on conducting similar encroachment removal drives at other metro stations in the coming days, a statement said. The DMRC has coordinated the drive with other city administrative bodies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Delhi Police. A similar drive took place last month at 11 metro stations across the city to clear pathways for pedestrians. According to DMRC, the earlier drives focused on maintaining cleanliness and hygiene inside metro stations. However, now they're attempting to ensure the same in the areas outside as well.
