Gurgaon: Delhi Metro resumed its services on the Yellow Line on Monday, but with lesser footfall as only 50% of its capacity are being allowed to board trains.
However, the reopening of the metro received a good response in the office hours.
Each compartment had around seven to eight people sitting on alternate seats to maintain social distancing.
While some commuters said that the metro is a pocket-friendly means of transport for them, others said that they prefer the metro as coaches are disinfected frequently.
A TOI team travelled from Huda City Centre to Guru Dronacharya metro stations and back.
At the Huda City Centre, Nidhi Bhonn, a resident of Laxman Vihar in Gurgaon, told us that she was going to work by metro.
“The prime concern for the daily commuters right now is to opt for a safe and pocket-friendly means of public transport.
We are living in a pandemic and this is the balance we have to make.
Trains are sanitised frequently and are now operating at 50% capacity, making them safer than any other means of transport.” In fact, thermal screening was being conducted at the entrance of the metro stations, and disinfectants sprayed on the hand baggage of commuters.
“Commuting by cabs every day is a costly affair.
I have to go to Lajpat Nagar for work.
Since the firm I work for has their branches in Gurgaon also, I was going to the centres here in the city.
Now that the metro has resumed operations, I will be able to go to work every day without burning a hole in my pocket,” said Aakriti Jaiswal, an audiologist and a resident of Sector-39.
Like other commuters, the metro resuming services has also brought relief for Meenakshi Bhardwaj, a resident of Gurgaon, who recently started her first job with an NGO in south Delhi.
“Metro is cheap, comfortable and safe.
It is my first job and I don’t want to spend all my earnings on my travel to work.” Vikas Rawat, a resident of Noida who had his interview scheduled with a private firm in Gurgaon, was also happy.
“Had the metro service not been operational, I would have had to take a cab, which costs a bomb.” For auto drivers too, the resumption of the metro is a ray of hope.
“I have just earned Rs 120 and expect to earn at least Rs 400 more.
It is at least better than not earning anything.
People are gradually coming out and we hope to get more business in the coming days.
When the lockdown was announced, we had gone back to our village in Mewat,” said Mohammad Ibrahim, an auto-rickshaw driver.
Restaurants and bars Though restaurants and bars have been allowed to reopen from 10am to 8pm, a majority of them are working on getting their staff back but said that they need full timings to tide over the Covid-induced lockdown losses.
“All restaurants will take at least three to four days to restart operations.
But we are not very worried about the response because last time people also came back,” said Inderjeet Banga, the owner of Pirates of Grill.
“Also, if you see the home deliveries and takeaways were in full swing even in the lockdown.
Moreover, 70% of our business comes from dinner, so we need full timings to operate,” said Banga, the head of Gurgaon chapter of National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI).
The restaurant and bar owners also said that the deadline of 8pm should be extended because people usually go out for dinner after 8pm.
“My restaurant witnessed around 10% of the gatherings we used to have before the lockdown.
If the government is allowing restaurants till 8pm, it should extend these timings so that people can at least have their dinner.
No one goes out for dinner between 6 and 8 in the evening,” said Gagan Vashisht, owner of Dhaba 29 in Sector 29, Gurgaon.
Metro, restaurants reopen in Gurgaon
