Bengaluru's Namma Metro resumed services after over five months on Monday.
Metro train services resumed on the Purple Line between Baiyappanahalli and Mysuru Road, in peak hours. However, travellers will have to follow a new set of rules even as more services open up in the fourth phase of the unlocking after the coronavirus pandemic forced all of India to shut down in March.
Metro services were suspended on March 23, and the reopening will happen in three stages.
In the first stage, trains will operate from 8 am to 11 am and between 4.30 pm and 7.30 pm, on the Purple Line (Baiyappanahalli-Mysuru Road).
In the second stage, train operations on the Green Line (Nagasandra-Yelachenahalli) will begin on Thursday only during peak hour.
In the third stage, the 7 am to 9 pm trains will run on both Purple and Green lines.
According to the new rules and SOPs by the state government, only travellers carrying smartcards will be allowed to board the trains. Metro cards can be recharged using an app to avoid overcrowding at the station.
Entry will be denied to passengers not wearing masks or those running temperatures above 37 degrees Celsius.
The rules also specify that each commuter can carry only one piece of baggage, a social distance of two metres must be maintained and every other seat on the trains will be left vacant. Only 400 passengers will be allowed on a train and there will be limited entries and exits at a station.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks