Independence Day 2024: Delhi metro services to start early

Independence Day 2024 : The Delhi Metro will start its services at 4 a.m. on all lines from all terminal stations on Independence Day 2024 to help the public attend the ceremony, officials announced on Tuesday.

Trains will run every 15 minutes on all lines until 6 AM on Thursday, after which the regular timetable will resume for the rest of the day, they added.

Additionally, those holding a bonafide invitation card issued by the Ministry of Defence for the Independence Day ceremony will be allowed entry and travel by presenting a valid government-issued photo ID at stations.

“This arrangement applies only for exit at Lal Quila, Jama Masjid, and Chandni Chowk metro stations, which are closest to the venue. The same invitation cards will also be valid for the return journey from these three stations only,” said Anuj Dayal, DMRC’s Principal Executive Director.

Also Read: I-Day| Don’t fly kites near elevated metro lines: DMRC to Delhiites

Regular announcements will be made inside the trains to inform passengers of these arrangements, Dayal noted, adding that the Ministry of Defence will reimburse the DMRC for the cost of such travel.

DMRC also advised people not to fly kites near elevated metro lines passing through residential areas for safety reasons and to prevent disruption of metro services.

“As kite flying increases around August 15, there is a risk of kite strings getting entangled in the overhead equipment (OHE) wires or getting caught in the pantograph (which draws power from OHE) of a moving train if kites are flown near elevated metro lines,” said Anuj Dayal in an advisory.

“Such incidents could not only disrupt metro services by damaging or tripping the OHE or pantograph but could also be fatal to those using metallic maanjha for kite flying,” he added.

The DMRC has measures in place to prevent disruptions, with dedicated teams ready to quickly remove any kite strings, Dayal said.

Kite flying is a popular tradition in Delhi-NCR, especially around Independence Day and Raksha Bandhan.

“The DMRC advises the public to avoid flying kites near elevated metro lines in residential areas for their safety. Any contact with the 25,000-volt OHE could be fatal and lead to OHE tripping or damage to the metro train/pantograph, causing service disruptions,” Dayal said.

To ensure passenger safety and uninterrupted services, the DMRC recommends enjoying kite flying in open spaces away from metro lines, he added.

The DMRC operates a network of nearly 400 kilometres in Delhi-NCR, mostly elevated, with 25,000-volt live OHE wires running parallel to the tracks to power trains for daily passenger services, according to officials.