Hyderabad Metro Announces SOPs as Services Resume on Monday: All You Need to Know

After the guidelines issued by the Centre on Unlock 4.0, the Telangana government is all set to resume Hyderabad Metro Rail services from September 7 by operating trains in a phased manner on one of its three corridors. However, five metro stations – Gandhi Hospital, Bharat Nagar, Moosapet, Musheerabad and Yusufguda – will remain closed as they fall under containment zones.

In the first phase, metro services on the Miyapur to LB Nagar corridor would be made operational from 7 am to 12 noon and then from 4 pm to 9 pm. Next day, the Nagole to Raidurg stretch would also be made operational. During the third phase beginning September 9, all three corridors would be operational with full services from 7 am to 9 pm.

To avoid crowding and passenger traffic in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, certain guidelines have been laid down by the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) after conducting a meeting with top officials. According to the HMRL, only asymptomatic patients will be allowed on the trains after a thermal screening test. Wearing face masks will be mandatory and those without masks will be asked to purchase them from the station or be penalised, said HMRL Managing Director NVS Reddy.

Here are the SOPs issued for resumption of Hyderabad Metro services:

1. Frequency of trains will be around five minutes which will be improved or decreased based on passenger traffic and to avoid crowding.

2. In order to ensure social distancing, suitable markings will be made at the stations and inside the trains. Alternate seats will be marked ‘X’ and kept vacant.

3. Wearing face mask is mandatory for all passengers and staff, and Metro Rail will make arrangements for supply of masks on payment basis to the persons arriving without mask.

4. Only asymptomatic persons will be allowed on the trains after thermal screening at the entry point of the stations. Symptomatic persons would be advised to go to a nearby Covid Care Centre/hospital for testing/medical attention.

5. Pedal sanitisers will be kept at the entry points for all passengers.

6. Proper PPE kits and sanitisers will be provided to the employees/security personnel, who are likely to be in proximate contact with the commuters for longer duration.

7. Smart cards and mobile QR tickets with cashless/online transactions will be encouraged.

8. Passengers will be advised to travel with minimum luggage and avoid carrying metallic items for easy and quick scanning.

9. Parking spaces would be opened in line with the guidelines issues by the government.

10. Keeping in view various scenarios post Covid-19, mock drills are being conducted before commencement of the metro services.

11. Metro Rail will keep close liaison with State police, medical authorities and local administration for regulating crowd outside the stations and to deal with contingencies.

12. Security personnel and private guards have been instructed to ensure adequate safety while frisking commuters without diluting security drills.

13. The HMRL authorities will monitor social distancing through CCTV by OCC, Station controller and Train Operators.

Hyderabad Metro operations were suspended on March 22 and will be resuming after 169 days in line with the Centre’s guidelines. Prior to the Covid-19 lockdown, the HMRL was operating 55 trains carrying about 4.5 lakh passengers every day. It is estimated to have suffered a loss of Rs 300 crore during the last five-and-a-half months owing to the lockdown.