Commuters in the capital will get more Metro trains on weekdays from Thursday. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will run 20 additional trips on its network from October 22, a day after GRAP-I came into force in Delhi. The aim is to encourage more people to use public transport instead of personal vehicles. The extra trips will be added on weekdays, Monday to Friday. The DMRC announced the step in a press release issued on October 21.
Along with the added services, the DMRC will step up its anti-pollution drives at construction sites and in the areas around them across the national capital. The corporation said these drives will help mitigate pollution. Several specific activities will be taken up. These include reducing dust levels inside construction sites and removing road dust from the surrounding roads. Garbage will also be cleared from footpaths and road medians.
DMRC engineers will inspect the construction sites and the nearby roads thoroughly. They will check that all construction materials are properly covered. They will also check that wheel wash facilities for vehicles leaving the sites are in working condition. The corporation said these drives will be carried out in addition to the measures it has already taken to deal with pollution. According to the DMRC, about 31 kilometres of city roads are currently under its temporary jurisdiction. The roads were taken over by the corporation to facilitate Metro construction work in the vicinity.
Most of these roads have already been repaired by the DMRC so that they do not add to pollution in the city. The DMRC has also installed over 250 anti-smog guns or mist guns at its construction sites, stations and office buildings.