The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has said that it is providing commuters with comfortable travel at 24 degrees Celsius despite the sweltering heat.
The DMRC also stated that daily ridership in May reached a record high of 60.17 lakh passengers. According to a statement from the agency, the DMRC is offering much-needed relief to passengers with its pleasant commute, with over 4,200 train trips covering around 1.40 lakh kilometres per day.
As per the press release, the average daily passenger journeys seen in May this year were a record high of 60.17 lakh, up from 52.41 lakh in May last year. Due to the prolonged heat wave, the DMRC has begun offering its employees with afternoon breaks to help them cope with the heat.
“Other necessary provisions such as drinking water, and medical facilities have also been made available at all our sites. We are ensuring that the workforce is not exposed to excessive heat,” said the metro agency as quoted by Times Now. Furthermore, all project managers have been directed to ensure that these instructions are strictly followed to by the contractors, the agency added.
The DMRC currently operates a fleet of more than 345 trains, each of which has about 5,000 AC units installed. Meanwhile, the statement claimed that every year in March, before summer officially begins, a thorough inspection of all AC units is conducted to guarantee that they all operate at their best during the busiest summer months.
A cutting-edge building management system (BMS) and chiller plan manager (CPM) are also installed in every underground station to enable remote AC unit monitoring and control.
Even in situations where outside temperatures range from 45 to 50 degrees Celsius, this technology reportedly continuously monitors both the ambient and station temperatures in real-time, keeping the station temperature between 25 and 27 degrees Celsius.
To prevent breakdowns, heat-sensitive infrastructure components such as escalators and lifts are inspected regularly. Additionally, the DMRC also stated that the frequency of maintenance checks for heat-sensitive equipment increases during this time.
To prevent fires, which are common during heat waves, the DMRC has a robust mechanism of fire extinguishers and hoses at its stations, which are regularly maintained, particularly at strategic locations in and around metro premises, the statement said. Even sprinkler systems are also regularly checked and maintained so that they can be quickly activated in the event of a fire.