In a unique move, escapades of ‘Chintu’ and ‘Pinki’, two characters with child next-door flavour, have been chronicled in a cartoon booklet by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to spread awareness about travel etiquette among the younger generation.
Around 50,000 multi-coloured booklets, depicting ‘The journey of Chintu and Pinki in Delhi Metro’, will be distributed among children studying in government schools, following the staging of puppet shows on the theme.
A DMRC official said around 100 government schools have been selected, where such shows will be staged next month, after which the booklets – in Hindi and English – will be distributed among children. Both the English and Hindi versions of the booklet have been printed.
“Through cartoon books, we will attempt to inculcate basic etiquette in the next generation of travellers. The characters will inform children about the dos and dont’s during a metro travel in a fun way,” DMRC chief spokesperson Anuj Dayal said.
The graphics, designed in house, focus on everyday habits that often end up creating commotion during peak hours such as breaking queues while boarding trains or blocking doors, a major factor behind delay in train movement. To attract children, the booklets also contain interesting facts and a word puzzle on the rapid mass transit system.
“We are trying something of this sort for the the first time. A total of 50,000 booklets have been printed, half of them in English and the rest in Hindi. It will be also uploaded on the Metro website,” the official added.
The DMRC had recently held a week-long series of street plays at its construction sites, seeking to raise safety awareness among labourers, mostly migrants.