Kolkata metro will function specially on September 13 for all the NEET candidates

While Kolkata metro services were likely to resume from September 14, Monday, special instructions were issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in consultation of Home Affairs regarding the resumption of the metro services. The special protocols issued said that Kolkata metro will function on September 13 for the benefit of NEET students. The metro services were suspended since March due to Coronavirus outbreak. 

Kolkata: Special metro service for NEET candidates

As per the official sources, a total of 66 services including 33 UP and 33 DN will be available for the students from 11 am to 7 pm from Naopara and Kavi Subhash stations. The metro service will be available for the students in every 15 minutes and no token will be issued to commuters. Instead, a Printed Card Tickets (PCT) will be issued to bona fide candidates and their guardians. The students using the metro services on September 13 will be required to show the admit cards at the gate of the metro station. 

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The Railway Protection Force along with the state police will be deployed at the metro stations to ensure that proper social distancing and thermal scanning norms are followed at the metro stations. Contactless sanitizers have been placed at various spots in the metro stations. Wearing a mask is a compulsion while travelling in the metro due to Coronavirus. 

Given the situation that COVID-19 cases count is still increasing every day, the Kolkata metro authorities have taken conscious steps for the crowd management as it will be the biggest challenge amid the pandemic. There is a significant decrease in the passenger-carrying capacity of the metro. As per the guidelines issued by the Kolkata metro authority, stations within containment zones will remain closed. 

When the regular metro services will resume in Kolkata from Monday, the metros will run from 8 am to 8 pm and the last train starting from both ends will be at 7 pm. Metro services will remain closed on Sunday for cleaning and sanitization of station & trains. The stopping time for the metro at every station has been increased so that the passengers can board and deboard the metro without comfortably. 

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On September 9, General Manager of Metro Railway, Manoj Joshi along with other metro officials inspected all the metro stations between Park Street and Kavi Subhash to ensure all the safety measures and precautions to curb Coronavirus have been followed. The entry-exit gates and the marking inside the trains & station were closely examined by the authorities on Wednesday. 

Kolkata metro issues Protocols for passengers

According to the protocols issued by Kolkata metro, passengers having Coronavirus symptoms such as fever, cough or cold will not be allowed to undertake the journey. Thermal testing will be done at the entry gates of the metro stations and passengers are required to wear a mask which properly covers their nose and face. Passengers can use pathadisha.com/metro for booking journey slots with one-hour duration and they will receive an e-pass on their mobile phones. Entry to the metro stations will be allowed once the e-pass has been verified. 

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Passengers travelling in Kolkata metro are required to download the Aarogya Set application. All food items and beverage at the underground stations will remain closed. The counters at the metro station will only recharge or issue to metro travel cards. Metro authorities have also issued guidelines for its working staff as well. The regular thermal check will be done before the employees when they enter the metro station. The employees will also be issued an e-pass to enter and exit the metro station which will be verified by the police at the station entry. 

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