Metro to run extra trains to accommodate Aug festive rush

Delhi Metro will run extra trains on weekends this month to tackle an expected rise of about five per cent in daily ridership during this festive season.

Metro trains will also make 106 extra trips on August 17 and 18 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. DMRC authorities have also augmented facilities such as Ticket Vending Machines and entry gates.

“On weekends of August, 34 extra train trips on Saturdays and 95 extra trips on Sundays have been planned to facilitate the passengers,” Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said in a statement.

Officials said the five per cent increase in ridership, against the average ridership of the entire year, translates to about 1 to 1.5 lakh extra passengers per day. The average daily ridership till July was 26.61 lakh.

As part of augmentation of facilities, metro has added around 180 new AFC gates, 100 additional Ticket Vending Machines and 118 coaches to its fleet on Line-5 and Line-6 in the past one year.

Also, extra escalators, entry and exit gates and ticket counters have been installed at nine important stations on Line-2 and Line-3, including Rajiv Chowk, HUDA City Centre, MG Road and New Delhi Railway Station.

Meanwhile, Delhi Metro said on Sunday that it will operate normal services on Independence Day on Monday.

“All metro lines will be fully functional on August 15. All trains will be available for passengers from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m.,” Delhi Metro spokesman Anuj Dayal told media.

He said no station will be closed on Monday.

Dayal said only parking lots at all metro stations will be shut from 6 a.m of Sunday to 2 p.m. on Monday for security reasons.