LUCKNOW (Metro Rail News): As the city readies itself to bring back normalcy and life on track post lockdown, Lucknow Metro has left no stone unturned to keep its promise of providing the safest transport experience when the lockdown ends.
With an entirely new set of arrangements that have been done to check the spread of Coronavirus, Lucknow Metro emerges to be the safest mode of public transport with the following features:
Enjoy Absolutely Contactless travel with GoSmart Card
A passenger using a GoSmart Card enjoys absolute contactless travel as the GoSmart card isn’t required to be tapped on the entry or exit gate. A special sensor reads the card when brought near the machine without tapping on it. This way throughout the journey the passenger comes only in contact with sanitized train seat and sanitized handles. GoSmart Cards will be available for sale at all metro stations post commencement of metro train services. Metro staff will always be present near the TVM to assist the passengers in obtaining tokens themselves.
Other Benefits of GoSmart Card:
‘Go Smart’ card saves both time and money as the users have to no longer stand in queues for buying tickets/tokens, moreover they get a 10% discount on the fare (of journey) each time they travel. Besides these benefits, ‘Go Smart’ card users can also enjoy free Wi-Fi facility at the Metro Stations for which they just have to tap their card at the card reader. Tokens can also be purchased through Token Vending Machine (TVM) using ‘Go Smart’ Card, so a user’s relatives and friends can purchase tickets using the same card.
All Metro stations and Trains are sanitized regularly
Keeping in mind, the health and safety of its commuters, UPMRC will ensure that all station premises, equipment and other points of contact are being sanitized at regular intervals of 4-5 hours. This including the ticket counters (TOMs), TVM (Ticket Vending Machines), Customer Care centres, Entry-Exit gates, handrails inside trains, handrails at the escalator and seats of trains, platforms etc.
Lucknow Metro team ensures that all common points of contact like lifts, lift buttons, escalators, handrails of escalators, Staircase, Baggage Scanning Machines, Metal Detector Machines and door frames, seats, handles of trains and all entry/exit points are deep sanitized regularly.
Station Controllers (SCs), Customer Relation Assistants (CRAs) and security personnel will be wearing masks and gloves while contacting/dealing with commuters. Ample availability of tissue papers and sanitizers for passengers at all the washrooms of Metro stations. Sanitizers have also been kept at all ticket counters for the passengers and at exit points of paid area. This will ensure that every passenger uses sanitizer twice at the time of entering and exiting the station.
Thermal Scanning of every passenger at metro stations
Amid the novel coronavirus outbreak that has gripped a large number of people, Uttar Pradesh Metro has ramped up safety measures and precautions to contain the deadly disease. In this connection, UPMRC started a strict screening at its metro stations to avoid the further spread of the disease.
All entry Gates of all metro stations will have Thermal scanning facility. It will be mandatory for everyone to go through thermal Scanning before entering metro premises. Anyone, whose body temperature will be found to be above the set standards, will not be allowed to travel by Metro for their and other passengers’ safety. Lucknow Metro appeals for cooperation in thermal Scanning from all.
Thermal screening is a process of detecting radiation. The amount of radiation emitted by an object increases with temperature; therefore, thermograph allows one to see variations in temperature. If someone has a fever, thermal screening will allow detecting them and they can further be tested for corona virus.
Cleaning and sanitization of AC Filters
Once the lockdown is over and Metro services will resume, concerns are being raised about the spread of the Corona virus disease through air-conditioning and ventilation in metro services but UPMRC is committed to ensure safety of its passengers during the tough times by adhering to norms and guidelines issued by the government as well as expert taskforces.
A COVID-19 taskforce was set up by ISHRAE (The Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers) which has published guidelines on operation of air conditioning & ventilation to control spread of COVID-19.
UPMRC will follow the guidelines issued by ISHRAEf or disinfecting and cleaning of filters, grills, diffusers, condensate drain pan, coils, and fans. Maintenance works of Air-conditioning and Ventilation systems being done in accordance with ISHRAE guidelines. All ducts are being cleaned again before restarting of the metro services by an appropriate method including sanitization.
In order to limit risk of COVID-19 infection by air, ISHRAE suggests ventilating indoor environments with outdoor air as much as possible. Accordingly, air-conditioning system at Lucknow Metro stations will be operated a little differently. During these periods, all station air will be ventilated out from the station and 100% fresh air from outside will be inducted continuously. In normal situations, only 10% fresh air is inducted inside & the rest 90% air from the station was re-circulated to avoid cooling losses. Also, All the tunnels will also be exhausted by fans provided at the station on a daily basis.
Temperature inside the stations will be maintained around 28 degrees Celsius keeping in mind the ISHRAE guidelines in this regard.
Precautionary steps taken by UPMRC against Covid-19
Uttar Pradesh Metro asked its employees and commuters to take precautionary measures in the wake of novel corona virus outbreak. These are the following steps taken by UPMRC:-
UP Metro Asked everyone to cover their faces with masks at all times– Face mask is mandatory for all the employees and commuters. No one will be allowed in Metro premises and metro stations without covering their face with masks.
Social Distancing Preparedness- All Metro stations are geared up to ensure everyone follows social distancing at metro stations and inside metro trains. For this, signages and yellow colour large stickers bearing social distancing messages have been pasted at regular intervals i.e. next to AFC gate, security checking gates, near platform areas, near and inside lifts, near escalators, near Ticket Vending machines and ticket counters. The lifts have also been marked to ensure only a maximum of two persons use the lift at a time. Trains will also have markings on seats to ensure there is a gap of at least one seat between two passengers.
Aarogya Setu App– Aarogya Setu app will be mandatory for all the metro passengers. Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation will not allow people to travel in metro if they don’t have Aarogya Setu App in their mobile. UPMRC staff will ask metro commuters to install Aarogya Setu app before going for the travelling in Metro trains.
Other Necessary arrangements:
To prevent the spread of this infection, UP Metro has asked its commuters to do the followings-
- UP Metro appeals its commuters to wash their hands regularly with soap and water, or clean them with alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid coughing or sneezing in public places.
- Avoid touching face, nose and eyes.
- Practice physical distancing by avoiding unnecessary travel and staying away from large groups of people.
