The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has decided to suspend services at six stations on the Yellow and Blue Lines on Sunday morning, in view of the Republic Day.
Additional security personnel, policemen in plainclothes and dog squads will also be deployed at Metro stations as part of security arrangements by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
On January 26, the Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan stations on the Yellow Line will remain closed from 6 am to 12 pm. The interchange facility between the Yellow and Violet Line will, however, be allowed at Central Secretariat. Patel Chowk and Race Course stations will be closed from 9 am to 12 pm.
On the Blue Line, services at Mandi House and Pragati Maidan stations will be suspended from 10.45 am to 11.45 am. During this period, trains will run in loops on the Noida City Centre-Indraprastha, Vaishali-Yamuna Bank and Dwarka Sector-21-Barakhamba Road corridors.
?All Metro parking lots will also remain closed from 2 pm on Saturday to 2 pm on Sunday,? Anuj Dayal, executive director, Corporate Communications at DMRC, said. ?We have taken the step on the advice of the Delhi Police, keeping in view security arrangements on Republic Day.?
CISF has deployed more than 700 officers at the entry and exit points of Metro stations. ?Dog squads will also be on duty,? an officer said. ?There are around 70 Metro stations that witness heavy footfall and we are keeping a close watch on these stations,? he said.
Police said they have formed quick response teams and increased surveillance to secure Metro stations ahead of Republic Day.
?We have stepped up our security arrangements keeping in mind terrorist threats and law and order issues, especially at the stations close to the parade route,? Mukesh Meena, Joint CP (New Delhi range), said. ?Elaborate arrangements have been made. Police personnel will be present inside the trains, on the stations and outside the stations to take care of any eventuality,? he said.
Sources said eight quick response teams had already been deployed on the Metro network.
According to the sources, police would also be in constant touch with the Metro Control Room during VVIP movement in the parade.
According to police, movement of Metro trains and stoppages would be closely monitored during the duration of the parade.
– Siddhartha Gupta
