Delhi Metro gears up to tackle spread of Coronavirus: While the Delhi Metro looked to ensure cleanliness and sanitation in its trains and stations earlier as well, the practice has now been intensified with the outbreak of Coronavirus. All Delhi Metro trains were already being thoroughly cleaned, but now the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) has also rigorously started the sanitisation of places where hands come in direct contact like hand railings, train doors, the token vending machines, the passenger emergency alarms fitted inside the metro coaches, the escalators and the lifts.

The DMRC has also taken several measures to ensure cleanliness. Here’s what the organisation is doing to tackle Coronavirus:

  • Round-the-clock cleaning of the metro stations: The DMRC has been undertaking regular mechanised cleaning of the metro stations round-the-clock. The cleaning includes scrubbing, wet cleaning of the floor, platforms, concourse, stairs, window frames, shutters, passages, station control rooms, doors, ancillary building areas, etc. Moreover, areas such as AFC gates, lifts, escalators and glass and steel fittings are also cleaned regularly.
  • Cleanliness inside metros during revenue hours: In order to ensure the quality of hygiene and sanitisation inside metro trains even during the operational timings, the DMRC has deployed specially trained housekeeping staff at the terminal stations of all the lines in two shifts.

Special cleanliness drives: Special drives to ensure cleanliness are being organised at the major stations that have high footfall. These drives focus on the upkeep of the stations and include activities like:

  • Cleaning of areas surrounding the stations
  • Removing unauthorised posters
  • Properly disposing of plastic and garbage waste
  • Cleaning the parking areas
  • Cleaning of toilets
  • Thorough cleaning inside the stations including the area where security frisking takes place
  • Intensive cleaning of parking lots: Parking areas are cleaned regularly. Moreover, weekly intensive cleaning of the areas is undertaken every Saturday night in each parking area.

Resources the DMRC needs for cleanliness

The DMRC requires certain resources to ensure that all the stations are thoroughly cleaned and hygiene is maintained. These resources are:

  • Eco-friendly chemicals and high-standard equipment: The DMRC uses eco-friendly chemicals like J Flex Stride, Echo Zan BK Conc-S5, A.Mela, Suma Inox, Echo De Lime, Plural Plus, J Flex Glance (Non Ammoniated), S3, Plural ecolabel, TASKI R6, Echo Flush, WC Rein, Taski Spiral F11, 3M, general purpose cleaner P2 and liquid soap. Moreover, the Delhi Metro requires high-standard equipment like cold water high pressure jet, automatic escalator cleaners, battery operated walk-behind automatic scrubber dryer, steam cleaner and automated vacuum cleaner.
  • Train depots: Similar cleaning activities are undertaken at the train depots by the DMRC. Over 330 train sets of the Delhi Metro network are cleaned at these depots every day, before they are pressed into service.
  • Mass sensitisation: All the staff under the DMRC has been sensitised and guided about the do’s and don’t’s related to coronavirus. Moreover, to sensitise the masses regarding the COVID-19, digital screens are running the advisories on do’s and don’t’s at major stations like Rajiv Chowk, Kashmere Gate and Central Secretariat.

The Delhi Metro is a 360-km network with 264 stations and it has 12 train depots to ensure that all the trains are cleaned before they start operating.