KOCHI: After 53 days of lockdown, the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) will resume metro train services from Thursday by strictly adhering to Covid-19 guidelines and protocols. In the initial phase, the trains will be operational from 8am to 8pm at an interval of 10 minutes during peak hours and 15 minutes during non-peak hours. Based on the passenger patronage and customer’s requirement, the train frequency will be increased or decreased in phased manner, said a KMRL officer.
“We had been receiving regular enquiries via calls and emails regarding the resumption of services. Disruption of metro services during the lockdown had an unprecedented impact on the daily lives of commuters,” said the officer, adding that stringent measures will be taken to prevent chances of Covid spread within the metro station premises. “All statons will be cleaned and sanitised. Thermal scanners will be available at the entry to check the passengers’ body temperature before letting them enter the station premises. Additionally, thermal cameras have also been provided to major stations,” said the officer. Additional safety measures for social distancing at the ticketing counters, platforms and trains will also be put in place.
Fumigation will be carried out in all trains before opening it for passengers and the train will be cleaned at the end of each trip. The waiting time for trains at the metro stations has been increased from 20 seconds to 25 seconds to ensure passengers don’t come in contact while boarding/deboarding and for fresh air circulation. KMRL authorities said the temperature inside the trains will be maintained at 26°C. Also, the centralised CCTV surveillance system will be used to continuously monitor the passengers’ adherence to social distancing at stations as well as inside the trains. Arrangements have also been made to ensure a contactless ticket system in all stations.