Delhi: Over the past few months, various videos from the Delhi Metro have taken the internet by storm. The metro has become a hotspot for people making reels, many of which go viral on social media.

In the latest viral video, a girl can be seen dancing to a Bhojpuri song on a metro platform while making reels, causing embarrassment to other passengers. Many have expressed their anger and demanded strict action against such behavior.

An X user commented, “Visit Delhi during Holi to witness the ‘festive’ atmosphere—it’s getting out of hand.” Another wrote, “Who will stop them? The metro will be closed on Holi, but people like these will still be excused.”

Some users also pointed out the legal implications, highlighting that Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with obscene acts and songs in public places. Under this law, those found guilty can face up to three months in jail, a fine, or both.

होली का मस्ताना माहौल देखने कभी तो पधारो दिल्ली , टनटनी टन टन कर रही है । pic.twitter.com/M0k99b92Tg

— H̤ⱤVÉÈ (@Entidoto) March 11, 2025

In the interest of passenger safety and convenience, authorities have warned that strict action will be taken against those creating disturbances in the metro.

Also Read: Reckless Thar driver wreaks havoc, rams into parked vehicles; watch video

While Holi is a time for celebration, authorities urge people to enjoy the festival responsibly and maintain discipline in public places.

Delhi: A Delhi metro viral video has taken social media by storm, showing a man catching two women “red-handed” for an alleged theft inside the metro premises.

In the viral video, a man is seen accusing two women of stealing and forcefully escorting them from the underground metro area to hand them over to the police. One of the women can be heard crying and repeatedly asking, “What have I done?” as they are taken upstairs.

Once outside, the man and the police officer lead them to a CCTV control room, where police begin verifying his claims. The women, now visibly shaken, are seen sitting quietly in a corner as the officers check the surveillance footage. However, the video ends before confirming whether the women were actually involved in a theft.

The video has gained significant attention on the IndianRailways subreddit, receiving over 3,000 upvotes and more than 90 comments.

One user commented, “The way she starts playing the victim card when caught is next level..” Meanwhile, another wrote, “The guy did good by handing over the lady to cops.”

Watch the viral video here:

Lady pickpocket gang caught red handed stealing 10,000 on Delhi Metro !!
byu/IndianByBrain inindianrailways

PNN

Elbow plays a surprisingly pivotal role in both sports and daily life. In football, it’s a symbol of strength and strategy – a well-placed elbow in a tackle can shift the momentum of a game, asserting dominance without crossing the line.

Off the field, the elbow subtly defines our personal space, guiding the distance we maintain from others in crowded places like buses, elevators, or even the Delhi Metro. And in that very context, a hilarious and bizarre incident recently unfolded inside a Delhi Metro train, making waves across social media.

A viral video capturing the moment shows two women sitting side-by-side in a compartment, arguing over their elbows touching. What starts as a seemingly trivial disagreement over personal space quickly escalates into a heated verbal confrontation.

In the footage, both women can be seen exchanging words, each expressing their discomfort about their elbows making accidental contact. The situation quickly goes from awkward to comedic as they both try to protect their “personal space,” with onlookers watching in amusement.

The viral video was shared on ‘X’ by a popular handle called ‘Ghar Ke Kalesh’.

Delhi Metro Dekhte hi ye Kalesh yaad aa gaya https://t.co/Nwu9DEEye2 pic.twitter.com/XxHIBR2WdG

— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) February 2, 2025

While the video has brought lighthearted entertainment to social media, some have pointed out that it’s a clear reflection of the stress and frustration commuters face every day. It also serves as a reminder that sometimes, the smallest things can cause the most dramatic moments.

PNN

”A cat has nine lives, but a thief only has one,” — the quote can be corroborated by a video that went viral on social media.

The viral video is making the rounds on ‘X’ where a female pickpocket is getting caught in Delhi Metro.

The video shows a woman donning a peach shawl over a kurta-palazzo attempting a pickpocket on another female passenger — who was waiting for the Delhi Metro with a backpack.

However, the rotten luck female pickpocket was unaware of a vigilant man who recorded her entire theft attempt on his mobile phone’s back camera.

Read Also: Catching fish with sandal, bear playing trumpet: These viral videos will make you question reality! Watch

While the female pickpocket was on the verge of finishing her evil task successfully, the man recording the video confronted her and alerted other fellow passengers.

As soon as the act came to the fore, a man standing beside the victim lady smacked a heavy blow to the pickpocket after which the lady thief can be seen screaming back at the passengers.

The video was shared by ‘X’ user ‘Ghar Ke Kalesh’.

Pick-Pocketing inside Delhi Metro by a Lady
pic.twitter.com/uhiZNz02qH

— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) February 10, 2025

The viral video spanning 31 seconds shows that the passengers were planning to hand over the female pickpocket to Delhi Police.

PNN

New Delhi: A video is making rounds on social media where a female passenger is having a showdown with a man inside Delhi Metro.

An ‘X’ handle named ‘Ghar Ke Kalesh’ shared the viral video with a caption: ‘Kalesh b/w a Couple and a Aunty over hugging Inside Delhi Metro’.

Watch the viral video: 

Kalesh b/w a Couple and a Aunty over hugging Inside Delhi Metro pic.twitter.com/AfiButascO

— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) February 6, 2025

The netizens’ opinions remained divided on the matter.

Read Also: Viral video: Mary Kom throws punches at Maha Kumbh; Nagaland Minister from BJP reacts

Supporting the couple, one user wrote: “If they are married then no issue anuty ji” (sic).

If they are married then no issue anuty ji

— vedanthi Harish Kumar (@VedanthiHarish) February 6, 2025

Another tweet read: “Aunty ko couple ki khusi dekhi nhi jati”  (Aunty cannot stand the happiness of the couple)

aunty ko couple ki khusi dekhi nhi jati

— 𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒌 (@x_vivek18) February 6, 2025

Siding with the woman who raised objections to the hug, another user tweeted: “It does make others uncomfortable. Why can’t they keep things private? Get your own private car!”

It does make others uncomfortable.

Why can’t they keep things private? Get your own private car!

— Rishabh Jain (@RishabhJainx) February 6, 2025

Meanwhile, some users took a neutral stance on the viral video.

One user wrote: “Both of the sides are wrong in their own way”

Both of the sides are wrong in their own way

— Priyanka Roy (@Priyanka2110118) February 6, 2025

PNN

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu Wednesday took a ride in Delhi Metro and interacted with school students. This was the first time Murmu took a ride in the metro after assuming the office of the president.

Murmu is the second serving President of India to travel by the Delhi Metro. In 2012, the then President Pratibha Patil had also travelled in the metro.

“President Droupadi Murmu travelled in Delhi Metro and interacted with school children during the ride,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a post on X.

President Murmu also flagged off a shuttle bus service between Central Secretariat metro station (gate no 4) and Amrit Udyan (gate no 35) for visitors coming to Amrit Udyan, which runs every 30 minutes from 9.30 am to 5 pm, it added.

During her interaction with students in the train, Murmu asked them about their career plans, officials said.

She boarded the metro train at the Central Secretariat metro station on the Kashmere Gate – Raja Nahar Singh Violet Line corridor, travelled up to the Nehru Place metro station and then came back to Central Secretariat, they said.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s Managing Director, Vikas Kumar accompanied the president on the journey.

Kumar told the president about the various facets of the DMRC’s functioning and also informed her about ongoing construction projects.

The president travelled on the system using an NCMC (National Common Mobility Card) RuPay card.

The president, in her comments made in the visitor’s book, appreciated the Delhi Metro and found the journey pleasant.

Delhi Metro is considered one of the most modern and efficient mass transportation systems in the world today, she said.

Murmu said the performance of Delhi Metro is world-class on all important parameters and has made the country proud.

PTI

Delhi: A new video of a couple kissing inside the Delhi Metro coach is going viral. In the viral clip, a young couple was seen hugging and kissing each other near the automatic doors of the Delhi Metro. As soon as the video of the couple kissing went viral on the internet, it surprised people.

However, the new clip angered some social media users. Despite repeated warnings and instructions given by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, videos of people doing objectionable acts like kissing, reeling, and dancing keep surfacing online.

DMRC’s instructions urging people to behave appropriately inside the metro and not indulge in such activities were ignored. However, the authenticity of the video is not yet known. An X (formerly Twitter) user shared the clip and wrote, “A video from Anand Vihar Delhi Metro. “Maybe we have forgotten that love is blind, but people are not.”

The viral video garnered reactions from social media users, who went to the comment box and wrote their opinions on the couple’s kissing video. One user commented, “This has become a regular habit in Delhi; it has become too much; the government doesn’t care about this nonsense; what kind of nonsense is this.”

Another user wrote, “Shows the immaturity of the couple. It is unnecessary to discuss this for a long time.”

A third user wrote, “@OfficialDMRC are you guys thinking? What is this? You guys are talking like this.” Why can’t you stop obscenity? At least declare not to be a part of it or declare it an illegal crime.”

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday inaugurated the extension of the Delhi Metro’s Airport Line which now terminates at the YashoBhoomi Dwarka Sector 25 station.

He unveiled a plaque at the new station marking the nearly two-km extension of the Airport Line. The prime minister also interacted with some metro workers at the station, sources said.

Before the inauguration, Modi took a metro ride from the Dhaula Kuan station to the newly built YashoBhoomi Dwarka Sector 25 metro station. During the ride, many passengers interacted with the prime minister and snapped selfies with him.

A woman passenger also wished him on his birthday in Sanskrit. Modi turned 73 on Sunday.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a metro ride to reach the new station at Dwarka Sector 25. The train he travelled in moved at 120 kmph. So that was in a way a formal start of services with enhanced speed on the Airport Express Line the extension of which was also inaugurated by the prime minister today,” a senior official told PTI.

The high-speed corridor has been extended from Dwarka Sector 21 to the underground YashoBhoomi Dwarka Sector 25 station which has been built using the conventional cut-and-cover technology.

The opening of the new metro station at Dwarka Sector 25 will enhance urban connectivity in the sub-city and facilitate people in reaching the India International Convention and Expo Centre (IICC), named YashoBhoomi.

Prime Minister Modi later inaugurated the Phase-1 of YashoBhoomi, a state-of-the-art convention and expo centre, in Dwarka.

Passenger operations on this extended section started from 3 pm Sunday, according to officials.

“With the addition of this section, the total length of the Airport Express Line from New Delhi to YashoBhoomi Dwarka Sector 25 is now 24.9 km,” a senior official said.

In addition to serving the convention centre, this new station will also provide metro connectivity to residents around Dwarka Sector 25 and the new sectors along the Dwarka Expressway in neighbouring Gurugram. Residents of these areas will now be able to reach central Delhi in about half an hour, officials said.

With the opening of this section, the total length of the Delhi Metro network has now increased to 393 km with 288 stations, including the Noida-Greater Noida Metro Corridor and the Rapid Metro in Gurugram.

The Airport Express Line now has seven metro stations — New Delhi (interchange with Yellow Line), Shivaji Stadium, Dhaula Kuan, Delhi Aerocity, Airport (T-3 or Terminal-3), Dwarka Sector 21 (interchange with Blue Line) and YashoBhoomi Dwarka Sector 25.

As the Delhi Metro has increased the operational speed of trains on the Airport Express Line to 120 kmph starting Sunday, the total journey from New Delhi station to the newly built YashoBhoomi Dwarka Sector 25 station will take about 21 minutes, officials said.

Earlier the travel time between New Delhi and Dwarka Sector 21 was around 22 minutes, and now it has reduced to around 19 minutes.

The approximate travel time between New Delhi and Terminal 3 of the Delhi Airport will be about 15 minutes and 30 seconds. Earlier, it was a little more than 18 minutes, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said.

This “historic increase” in speed of trains on India’s fastest metro corridor gradually from 90 kmph to 120 kmph has been made possible by “meticulous planning and time-bound implementation by DMRC’s engineers in consultation with a number of other government agencies and domain experts”, the DMRC had earlier said.

PTI

New Delhi: A man was apprehended for allegedly masturbating and ejaculating on a girl travelling on a Delhi Metro train, officials said Thursday.

The incident took place around 8:30 pm Wednesday on the Delhi Metro’s Red Line. The train in which the girl was travelling with her mother was crowded on account of Rakshabandhan festivities, they said.

The girl’s mother found that the man had ejaculated on her daughter in the overcrowded coach and she got down at the Seelampur station, the officials said.

The accused, who hails from West Bengal, was nabbed by two fellow passengers and later handed over to the Delhi Metro authorities at the Shahdara station, they said.

The station authorities later informed the police.

In a statement, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said such incidents are “extremely unsavoury and against the dignity of passengers and all societal norms”.

“In this particular case, we appreciate the response of the fellow passengers who brought it to the attention of the DMRC staff. Taking prompt action, the DMRC personnel handed over the accused to the police and an FIR has been registered for further necessary action.

“We would yet again request our commuters to behave responsibly while travelling by the Metro and help in creating a congenial travelling environment where all passengers irrespective of age or gender can travel safely and comfortably,” it said.

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) issued a notice to the deputy commissioner of police (Metro) over the incident, seeking an action taken report by September 5.

The panel has also sought details of the apprehended man and steps taken to prevent such incidents in future.

PTI

New Delhi: The walls of several metro stations across Delhi were found defaced with pro-Khalistan and anti-PM graffiti ahead of the G20 Summit September 8-10, police said Sunday.

The police received information that slogans were written at more than seven metro stations. A senior police officer stated that upon receiving the information, they promptly dispatched teams to each metro station.

“Derogatory slogans challenging the sovereignty of India were discovered at the following metro stations: Shivaji Park, Madipur, Paschim Vihar, Udyog Nagar, and Maharaja Surajmal Stadium; as well as Punjabi Bagh and Nangloi Metro Stations. The accused also defaced the Government Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya Nangloi with slogans. Khalistani supporters might be behind this act ahead of the G-20 Summit,” police source told IANS.

Slogans such as ‘Delhi Banega Khalistan’ and ‘Khalistan Referendum Zindabad’ were found sprayed on the walls. The accused also mentioned the name of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) along with the slogans.

The police have formed multiple teams to investigate the matter. They have affirmed that those involved in these incidents will not be spared.

The police were examining the CCTV footage from nearby areas and metro stations to identify the culprits responsible for writing these slogans.

IANS

New Delhi: Thousands of police personnel have been deployed and multiple layers of barricades put in place in the Lutyens’ Delhi area Sunday as part of the security arrangement for the inauguration of the new parliament building and protesting wrestlers’ ‘Mahila Mahapanchayat’, officials said.

Also, all entry and exit gates at the Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan stations of the Delhi Metro have been closed as part of security measures. The new parliament building is located near the Central Secretariat station which is an interchange facility between Yellow Line and Violet Line.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new building Sunday morning. Representatives of 25 political parties and many dignitaries, including chief ministers and ministers, are slated to attend the inauguration.

A senior police officer said security has been stepped up by enhancing police deployment, placing multiple barricades and sufficient police pickets. Intensive patrolling is also being carried out across the national capital and its bordering areas to ensure that law and order are maintained, he said.

The wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar, about two kilometres from the parliament building, said they will go ahead with their “Mahila Mahapanchayat” near the new building at any cost. Police, however, said no protester will be allowed to move towards the new building as permission has not been granted to hold the “Mahila Mahapanchayat”.

“We respect our athletes, but we will not let there be any disturbance in the inauguration (of the new parliament building),” Dependra Pathak, Special CP, Law and Order, told PTI.

Police personnel have put up barricades at border points and are checking vehicles entering the national capital.

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said thousands of farmers from Uttar Pradesh will gather at Delhi’s Ghazipur border at 10.30 am Sunday and enter the national capital to extend their support to the protesting wrestlers. Farmers plan to enter Delhi from other border points as well.

The agitating wrestlers have demanded the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Singh who, they alleged, sexually harassed several women grapplers.

In view of the protests, police have requested the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to grant the necessary permission to create temporary jail in the MC Primary Girls School, Kanjawala Chowk, Old Bawana Sunday.

“Strict vigil is being kept along Delhi’s borders. We have increased our pickets. Multiple barricades have been placed and no one will be allowed entry to the national capital without thorough checking,” a senior police officer said.

Every vehicle will be checked and no suspicious entry with potential to disrupt the law-and-order situation in Delhi will be allowed, another police officer said.

Police have already issued a traffic advisory that the New Delhi district will be treated as a controlled area and entry of vehicles will be restricted. Besides additional deployment of force, CCTV monitoring is being carried out continuously, the police said.

According to the traffic advisory, only public transport vehicles, civil service aspirants, bonafide residents, labelled vehicles and emergency vehicles will be allowed to move in the New Delhi area. The Delhi traffic police urged people to plan their journey accordingly and avoid the New Delhi district from 5:30 am to 3 pm.

A police official said adequate security personnel have been deployed near the Parliament building and robust security arrangements have been made at Jantar Mantar where wrestlers and farmers have been staging a sit-in.

“We have covered the entire Jantar Mantar protest venue. It is being guarded by our security personnel. CCTV cameras installed there are being constantly monitored.

“Heavy barricades have been put up. For each protester, we have deployed at least five police personnel. That’s how elaborate the security arrangement is at Jantar Mantar,” he said.

The ceremony to inaugurate the new Parliament building on Sunday began with an early morning havan and multi-faith prayers followed by the formal opening by Prime Minister Modi.

PTI

New Delhi: Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station of Northern Railway is going to be a one-stop destination for NCR passengers as the station will now be connected with Rapid Rail after Delhi Metro.

The Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, named after the Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya, located in the south of the national capital, is one of the three main railway stations in Delhi. It was also developed for the purpose of controlling and diverting congestion from New Delhi Railway Station. This station is connected to all the main and big cities of the country.

Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station has nine platforms and 13 tracks. About 250 trains pass through this station daily. Rajdhani Express trains for Bangalore, Chennai, Secunderabad, Madgaon, Mumbai, Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram start and end here.

Compared to the other two major railway stations of Delhi, the journey to Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station is quite convenient as the station is very close to Sarai Kale Khan Bus Depot and Sarai Kale Khan-Nizamuddin Metro Station on Pink Line of Delhi Metro.

Another highlight is that it is equally easy for commuters to reach the station by private transport as Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station is adjacent to two important routes of Delhi – Ring Road and Mathura Road.

Reaching Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station is going to be more convenient for the commuters of Meerut and Ghaziabad as well in the coming few years. After the start of Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (Delhi-Meerut RRTS), this station will also witness uninterrupted travel by the passengers of NCR.

The distance between Sarai Kale Khan RRTS Station and Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station is approximately 300 metres. To ease the movement of passengers between Sarai Kale Khan RRTS Station and Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, NCRTC is constructing a 280-meter long Foot Over Bridge (FOB) with a travelator.

According to information, approval has been given by Haryana and Delhi governments for the 106 km route from Sarai Kale Khan to Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behrod (SNB) for the rapid rail to be built from Sarai Kale Khan to Alwar. Once the construction work will be completed, it will become a one-stop destination.

Although the Indian Railways has recently upgraded the Nizamuddin railway station. Several passenger-friendly facilities have been added to the station over the years, from benches and improved waiting rooms to elevators and escalators for easy movement of passengers carrying bulky items.

Several passenger-friendly upgrades like security guards to control crowds on platforms, helpline numbers for cleanliness, RO for drinking water on every platform, large digital screens, and facilities for disabled have been made.

Yet, Nizamuddin is far behind Delhi’s Anand Vihar railway station in terms of cleanliness ranking. Nizamuddin is ranked 241st across the country while Anand Vihar railway station is ranked 26th.

According to the Indian Railways, once again in view of the General Budget 2023-24, 13 railway stations in Delhi will be rejuvenated under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Hazrat Nizamuddin station has also been included in this. Railways will prepare a master plan to improve facilities at stations.

–IANS

New Delhi: The DMRC Wednesday notified the high court that the Delhi government is not inclined to contribute towards the payment of unpaid dues of the arbitral award to Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Ltd (DAMEPL), promoted by Reliance Infrastructure.

The Delhi government has claimed that it is not inclined to offer Rs 3565.64 crore towards equity for payment of the arbitral sum with interest, according to the affidavit filed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

Before a single-judge bench Yashwant Sharma, the Central government and DMRC, represented by Attorney General R. Venkataramani, informed the court that the issue was being actively considered and deliberated by the relevant authorities and that they anticipated a resolution by January 16.

The court listed the matter for the next hearing January 19.

The Delhi government stated that the shareholders cannot be held accountable for payments resulting from disputes or contractual default in its statement to the DMRC.

The DMRC informed the court that it may obtain funding to cover this liability through the open market, externally aided funds, or a loan from the Government of India.

The court is addressing a petition submitted by DAMEPL seeking enforcement of the arbitration award dated May 11, 2017. DMRC and DAMEPL entered into a contract in 2008 for the design, installation, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of the line.

December 14, 2022, the Supreme Court also told Venkataramani, “we should not repeat again that on one hand, you give speeches everywhere that India should be a model arbitration hub”, as it pulled up the Centre for its failure to pay an arbitral award for Rs 4,500 crore following a lawsuit filed by Reliance Infra against the DMRC.

–IANS

New Delhi: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has pressed 14 Anti Smog Guns (ASGs) into service to combat air pollution at the sites where it is constructing infrastructure for the metro rails.

The anti-smog guns throw fine mist from time-to-time to check the possibility of dust pollution emanating from the construction work.

Currently, as part of its Phase 4 expansion as well as some other construction projects, 12 civil contracts are operational across the national capital.

These state-of-the-art ASGs are capable of spraying fine mist up to 70 to 100 metres. One ASG is considered adequate for covering an area up to 20,000 square metre.

The DMRC said it ensures that the water used for sprinkling is free from coliforms, viruses and bacteria.

“High quality nozzles with droplet sizes of 10 to 50 micrometers are used for greater impact. With the gradual expansion of construction work, more such ASGs shall be introduced at the sites in the days ahead,” it said.

The Delhi Government in November imposed a ban on construction and demolition activities in the city, following soaring levels of air pollution.

“Currently, all construction work apart from those which are non polluting in nature have been stopped in compliance with relevant directions. While, the DMRC is ensuring complete compliance to all the pollution related instructions, these mist guns have been installed as a permanent measure to combat pollution and are employed at the sites round the year. Even when construction work is not going on, Mist Guns prevent the loose soil/earth stored at construction sites from being air borne thus reducing air pollution,” it added.

Traditionally, anti-smog guns were used at coal and cement manufacturing sites across the world.

In November, 2016, DMRC became possibly the first construction company in the National Capital Region to use the ASGs at its sites as a pilot project.

Based on the feedback received from the initial use of ASGs at the sites, their use was made mandatory in the conditions of contract for civil contractors in DMRC’s fourth phase of expansion.

Even the Delhi Government has now made the use of ASGs mandatory for all construction agencies in the national capital as a tool to combat pollution.

Detailed guidelines regarding the use of water droplets, nozzles have also been issued in this regard.

Pertinently, the entire northern India, especially the Delhi-NCR grapples with the menace of severe pollution during the months of October to December.

IANS

New Delhi: Driverless train operations (DTO) started Thursday on 59-km Pink Line of the Delhi Metro, putting the mass rapid transit system on fourth position globally among the networks which operate this cutting-edge technology.

The top three cities in the world in terms of driverless train network are — Singapore (first), Shanghai (second) and Kuala Lumpur (third), DMRC officials said.

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri and Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Thursday jointly flagged off the driverless train operations via video conference.

With DTO commencing on the Majlis Park-Shiv Vihar corridor (spanning 38 stations), albeit after a few months delay, the total stretch of the DMRC’s network, which is under driverless operations, now stands at close to 97 km.

With this, the Delhi Metro in terms of driverless train network has grown to become the “fourth largest in the world” and it is the only DTO network in India, the officials said.

After the completion of Phase-IV work, when driverless operations will be available on the extensions of the Pink Line and Magenta Line, as well as on the Aerocity-Tughalakabad Silver line, “The DMRC shall become the world’s second largest driverless metro network with 160 km of DTO-equipped corridors,” the DMRC said.

India’s first-ever driverless train operations on the Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line was inaugurated on December 28 last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said that his government, unlike its predecessors, had taken growing urbanisation as an opportunity and asserted that metro train services would be extended to 25 cities by 2025 from the current 18.

With the opening of the first driverless operations in December, the Delhi Metro had “entered an elite league of world’s seven per cent metros in the world which operate fully automated metro networks,” the DMRC said in a statement on Thursday.

December 2020 was the first winter after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. And, in that month, the first driverless train operations was started, Puri said.

“And it’s a rapid implementation, as in 11 months now, we are opening the second driverless train operations on DMRC network. I congratulate DMRC chief Mangu Singh and the Delhi Metro family and the people of Delhi, who deserve credit for this. It is good to to see people who have taken to this efficient and reliable form of transportation,” he added.

The Union minister said in his diplomatic career he has served in many capitals of the world and seen many major metro networks globally.

“I have served in New York, London and Tokyo and have seen many metro systems in major cities globally. But, I can say with great confidence that Delhi Metro can be compared with the best in the world,” Puri said.

“I have been told metro in Kuala Lumpur stands at the third position globally in terms of driverless train operations network at a little over 97 km. With Magenta Line and Pink Line adding to about 97 km of stretch under driverless operations for the DMRC, the Delhi Metro is the fourth globally, just marginally behind the capital of Malaysia,” he added.

The Delhi Metro is not just a “pride of the country”, it is also a “world-class automated system,” the Union minister said.

“The Delhi Metro had a ridership of about 65 lakhs per day in the pre-Covid times. We had to halt services for a long time in between due to the pandemic. But, now with the 100 per cent seating capacity and recently 30 standing commuters per coach, also allowed to travel in metro, I expect the ridership to go up again, exponentially in the coming few weeks,” he added.

The Union minister said currently 723 km of metro network is operational in 18 cities, and additional over 1,000 km of network under construction in various cities.

Separately, six new proposals also being evaluated, he added

The DTO will bring more flexibility in train operations, reduce human interventions and human errors. It will also help in improving the availability of coaches for service. These trains will eliminate the manual process of checking done before induction, subsequently reducing burden on train operators, the DMRC statement said.

The parking on stabling line in depots will also be done automatically, it said.

The DMRC said it is already started “reaping benefits” of driverless operations on its Magenta Line (Janakpuri West to Botanical Garden spanning about 38 km) in terms of increased availability of coaches for service.

In DTO, initially, train operators will be present in the train to instil a sense of confidence and assistance. DTO’s higher level of diagnostic features will help move from conventional time-based maintenance to condition-based maintenance. This will also reduce maintenance down time of trains, it said.

PTI 

New Delhi: A video showing a monkey travelling in the Delhi Metro along with other commuters has gone viral on social media. The two-minute-long video attracted over 1,500 views till Sunday afternoon since it was uploaded on Twitter.

The monkey, seen in the video, was roaming inside a coach of a Delhi Metro train. The video surfaced on Twitter Saturday. The video clip showed the monkey first roaming around in the carriage and eventually settling on a seat next to a commuter.

In the video of the purported incident, a person can be heard saying Yamuna Bank Station, which falls on the Blue Line of the Delhi Metro.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) could not immediately confirm the incident, but in response to the video shared on Twitter, the authorities have asked to furnish coach details.

New Delhi: Ride-hailing major Uber Tuesday announced it has deployed 100 e-rickshaws across 26 Delhi Metro stations for the last-mile connectivity as well as short distance commutes.

Riders will be able to book e-rickshaws on the Uber app available at the following stations on Metro’s blue line: Ashok Park Main, Dabri Mor, ESI Basaidarapur, Inderlok, Janakpuri east, Janakpuri west, Kanhaiya nagar metro, Keshav Puram, Madipur, Mayapuri, Moti Nagar, Paschim Vihar East and more.

“This launch is just one of the many steps we are taking to operationalize our vision of building a self-sustaining ecosystem which will cater to the country’s growing need for clean transport solutions,” Shiva Shailendran, General Manager, North and West India, Uber said in a statement.

Over the past few months, Uber has also launched a slew of safety measures, such as the ‘Go Online Checklist’ and a mandatory mask policy for riders, pre-trip mask verification selfies for drivers, and mandatory driver education around Covid-19 related safety protocols.

Riders and drivers can also cancel a trip, without penalty, if the other person is not wearing a mask.

Uber said it is distributing over three million masks and 200,000 bottles of disinfectants and sanitisers to drivers, free of cost.

IANS

New Delhi/Noida: Prashant Kumar who lives in Noida sector 143 often goes to a nearby mall-cum-office complex with his family for some quick bites or gets a bank job done.

The complex does not allow anyone without checking the Covid status on Aarogya Setu app on the visitors’ smartphones, along with the mandatory thermal temperature screening.

Whenever Kumar plans a visit to the complex, he updates the contact tracing app on his smartphone as well as the devices with his family members, filling the self-assessment form by just ticking all the boxes with “none of the above’ symptoms. And the app declares them “safe”.

As cities get unlocked and people begin to visit markets, eating joints, malls and other public places, this attitude is worrisome as this does not paint the real picture, especially if someone who is an asymptomatic Covid patient visits public places even with the ‘safe’ app tag on.

“I only update the app while visiting the complex and leave it without any use for days. It surprises me that it is so easy to just fill in wrong details and enter wherever you want with the ‘you are safe’ tag,” Kumar told IANS.

Kumar said he has even seen people who are not aware of the Aarogya Setu app, downloading it right in front of the complex, filling the self-assessment form quickly with ‘None of the Above’ symptoms and entering the premises, only to remove the app later.

According to latest data from app intelligence company Sensor Tower, Aarogya Setu downloads have decreased significantly in the country, as much as 90 per cent less last month compared to April when it was launched with much fanfare.

As Delhi Metro resumed services after more than five months due to Covid-19 restrictions, officials in some stations, including Noida Sector 16, were seen trying to block entry of people into the station for not having “Aarogya Setu” app on their mobile phones during the initial trial phase.

This despite the fact that in the new travel protocol for passengers published by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on September 3, it mentioned that “the use of ‘Aarogya Setu App’ for updating health status by passengers will be advisable.”

However, as the services gathered full steam, passengers have hardly reported facing any questions about having the app on the smartphones.

The decision of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) to make Aarogya Setu mandatory for metro commuters was brought to Karnataka High Court’s notice this month after legal services organisation SFLC.IN’s advisory board member Anivar A. Aravind filed a petition challenging the voluntary-mandatory nature of Aarogya Setu and invasion of privacy rights in the absence of a specific legislation governing data collected by it.

Meanwhile, security guards at several outlets in shopping malls across the country are allowing entry only after visitors show they have the app downloaded on their mobile phones.

A similar experience was reported by Aasheesh when he tried to visit a Lifestyle outlet at the City Centre Mall at Sector 10, Rohini in New Delhi.

Visitors to government offices have also reported that they were allowed to enter the offices only after downloading the app.

However, the biggest question is: Is it worthwhile to track people with Covid?

“Several people in my localities have stopped using the app or removed it altogether as it at times creates panic, in case if the person was near a Covid-19 patient. The lack of proper guidance and right messaging, people have started to shun the app, including me,” Nidhi Dixit from West Delhi told IANS.

Aarogya Setu was developed by the National Informatics Centre under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) as the country’s Bluetooth-based contact tracing app, with an objective of mapping of likely hotspots and dissemination of relevant information about Covid-19.

The app utilises the data provided by users, to track if you may have come in close contact with a Covid-positive person via Bluetooth and location generated social graphs. It uses contact tracing to record details of all the people you may have come in contact with during normal activities.

The app also consists of features such as the Self-Assessment Test, a complete list of helpline numbers across the country, and a Twitter feed that displays all the latest tweets from the Ministry of Health.

New Delhi: A five-foot-long Indian Rock Python was Tuesday rescued by Wildlife SOS from the bus stop outside a south Delhi metro station, where it created panic among a handful of onlookers.

Found at the Gate No 1 of the Saket Metro Station, the python was later safely released into the wild, said Wildlife SOS.

The attention of a passer-by was caught when he noticed the large reptile sidle underneath the foot-over bridge from a neighbouring culvert.”The incident was reported to the Wildlife SOS 24×7 emergency helpline (+91-9871963535) following which a team of two rescuers were dispatched to the location,” the wildlife group said.

In the past week, its Rapid Response Teams have also rescued a python that was stuck high up on a tree in Sangam Vihar, a rat snake from the Post Graduate Men’s Hostel at the Delhi University’s North campus and a monitor lizard from a house in Gurugram.

Kartick Satyanarayan, CEO and Co-founder of Wildlife SOS said: “Although non-venomous, a python’s bite can be injurious, so one has to be careful while carrying out such rescue operations. We have professionally trained rescuers who are experienced in handling snake rescues. Pythons need large undisturbed spaces to move around – if we encroach on their habitats, we really mustn’t be surprised if they do the same.”

Wasim Akram, Deputy Director – Special Projects, Wildlife SOS, said: “We get a maximum number of calls about reptile sightings in the monsoon season. From cobras and pythons to rat snakes and sand boas, the Rapid Response Unit has been kept busy on their toes, the past month.”

The Indian Rock Python is a large non-venomous python species that can extend as long as 20 feet. Pythons are often misidentified due to their resemblance to the venomous Russell’s viper and consequently met with hostility.

(IANS)

New Delhi: Around 20 staff members of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) are COVID positive, an official said Friday.

“Around 20 staff members of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) have tested positive for COVID-19. All of them are asymptomatic and are doing well,” said the official. “Along with the rest of the country, the DMRC is also fighting the battle against COVID-19. Some employees, scattered across the NCR, have unfortunately been infected by the virus. They are all safe and recovering gradually,” he said.

The official added that in this hour of crisis the spirit of the Delhi Metro staff continues to be high. According to the official, DMRC Managing Director Mangu Singh in a message asked all employees to adhere to social distancing norms and wished those afflicted with the virus a speedy recovery.

“This indomitable spirit will surely help the Delhi Metro, whenever we resume our services in the days ahead,” said the official, adding that “Delhi Metro’s employees have shown exemplary resilience in reporting back to their duties to keep the Metro system in all readiness for the eventual resumption of services.”

IANS