In a significant move to facilitate smooth conduct of the upcoming Municipal Corporation of Delhi by-elections, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has announced special early morning services on both polling and counting days. This initiative aims to ensure that voters, election staff, and security personnel can reach their destinations without any transportation hurdles.
Special Metro Timings for Polling Day
The Delhi Metro will commence its services early on the polling day, February 23rd, 2025. Train operations will begin at 6:00 AM across all lines instead of the regular timing. This early start will help election officials, polling staff, security personnel, and most importantly, voters to reach their respective polling stations well before the voting begins at 7:00 AM.
The by-elections are being conducted across twelve municipal wards that fell vacant due to various reasons. These wards include significant areas where metro connectivity plays a crucial role in daily commutes. The early services will be available on all six metro lines - Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, Violet, and Pink lines, ensuring comprehensive coverage across the national capital.
Counting Day Arrangements
Similar arrangements have been made for the counting day scheduled for February 26th, 2025. Metro services will again start at 6:00 AM on counting day to facilitate the movement of counting staff, election observers, candidates, and political party workers to the counting centers.
The decision to extend metro timings was taken after consultations with the State Election Commission of Delhi, which emphasized the need for robust transportation arrangements during the electoral process. A DMRC official stated that the corporation is fully committed to supporting the democratic process and ensuring that transportation doesn't become a barrier for anyone involved in the elections.
Comprehensive Ward Coverage
The twelve wards going for bypolls span across different zones of Delhi, making metro connectivity particularly important. The early services will benefit voters from wards including those in North, South, East, West, and Central Delhi zones. The DMRC has assured that adequate number of trains will be deployed to handle the expected passenger load during these early hours.
Regular commuters have been advised to plan their journeys accordingly, considering the changed schedule on these two days. The metro authorities have also announced that they will deploy additional staff at stations to guide passengers and ensure smooth operations during the extended hours.
This isn't the first time Delhi Metro has extended its services for election purposes. The corporation has previously provided similar facilities during assembly elections, parliament elections, and other significant public events, demonstrating its commitment to public service beyond regular commuter needs.
The State Election Commission has welcomed this initiative, noting that reliable public transportation is crucial for ensuring high voter turnout and smooth election management. Voters have also expressed appreciation for this gesture, acknowledging that it would make their participation in the democratic process more convenient.
