Delhi Metro services will start from 4 am from terminal stations on all lines of the network on September 8, 9 and 10 in view of the G20 Summit, officials said on Wednesday.
Besides, parking facilities at Supreme Court, Patel Chowk and RK Ashram Marg metro stations will be closed from 4 am on September 8 till noon of September 11, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said.
The move to start metro services early is to facilitate movement of people, and police personnel and staff from other assisting agencies deployed to maintain security, law and order, traffic arrangements, for the upcoming G20 Summit, it said.
The mega event is slated to be held from September 9 to 10 at the newly built international convention and exhibition centre -- Bharat Mandapam -- at Pragati Maidan. Delhi Metro train services will start from 4 am from terminal stations of all lines for three days -- September 8, 9 and 10, the DMRC said in a statement.
The trains will run with a frequency of 30 minutes on all lines till 6 am and after 6 am, metro trains will run according to the normal timetable throughout the day on all lines, it said.
In a letter to the DMRC, Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora had requested it to start train services from 4 am on September 8, 9 and 10 so that security personnel can reach their duty posts in time.
The reporting time for staffers to reach G20 venues will start from 5 am onwards, according to the letter.
It stated that "as all of us are aware, Delhi is hosting the prestigious G20 Summit on September 9 and 10." "For the purpose, Delhi Police, in coordination with various stakeholders, has laid down elaborate security, law and order and traffic arrangements involving about 40,000 personnel in all, which will come into full scale deployment from September 7 onwards," the letter stated.
Since arrangements at G20 venues -- International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) and Rajghat -- will begin early in the morning, the reporting time for staffers for these venues has been kept from 5 am onwards, it said.
"In view of traffic restrictions in the venue-affected areas, primarily NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council) and southwest district areas, being put in place, the police and other support staff will be greatly facilitated if the metro services on September 8, 9 and 10 can begin from about 4 am," the letter stated.
"This will enable hassle free travel of staff and timely reporting at the two prime venues that is IECC/ITPO and Rajghat," it stated.
"May I request you to kindly consider the request from Delhi Police and make necessary arrangements accordingly, as a welfare measure for staff of Delhi Police and other assisting agencies, for the duration as mentioned above," Arora said in his letter.
Special Commissioner of Police (Transport Division) Nuzhat Hassan will be available for any clarification and detailing, as maybe required, for operationalising this request, it added.
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