THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 07 September 2020 Unlocking the metro (Indian Express)

Unlocking the metro (Indian Express)

Mains Paper 2: Governance 
Prelims level: National Capital Region
Mains level: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability

Context: 

• Nearly six months after they were suspended due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown, metro rail services are set to resume in Delhi.

Resumption:

• The Delhi government has, reportedly, been keen to restart operations since June but the Centre has favoured a more cautious approach.
• Now, as metro services commence in a “graded manner”, the yellow line will be the first to be functional and the trains on other routes will resume in the next five days.
• “Adequate dwell time at stations will be provided to enable smooth boarding/deboarding and ensuring social distancing.
• Metro rail corporations may also resort to skipping of stations to ensure proper social distancing,” an SOP issued last week says.
• Delhi’s transport minister Kailash Gahlot has assured that his government will make sure that the metro does not add to the spread of the pandemic.
• The Delhi government must also ensure that its medical infrastructure is equipped to deal with any uptick in the capital’s caseload.

Infection resurge:

• It’s more than two months that markets, restaurants and other business establishments have resumed operations in the National Capital Region (NCR).
• But the unlocking of public transport has not kept pace with the opening up of the economy.
• This has not only inconvenienced workers but also contributed to low customer footfall in several sectors.
• Getting the metro, which transports about 25 lakh passengers daily, back on track, therefore, had become critical to reviving business after the lockdown.
• At the same time, given the volume of commuters, the resumption of the metro’s services is also significant from a public health standpoint — especially because Delhi is witnessing another surge in infections.
• After being down to less than 1,000 cases for most of July and August, the city has been recording in excess of 2,000 cases daily for more than a week.
• Experts believe that the prolonged decline could have induced complacency, leading to a drop in compliancewith physical distancing norms.
• With the two rounds of sero surveys in Delhi indicating a large number of asymptomatic carriers of the infection in the capital, the metro authorities will have to be vigilantagainst any letting down of the guard.
• The Delhi government maintains that it is equipped to deal with any COVID-related emergency.
• That more than 1,000 COVID beds are vacant in the city’s hospitals, and these health facilities have adequate ventilators, offers hope that the situation will not get out of hand.
• Even so, the Delhi government and its residents must remain vigilant when the metro is back on the rails.

Conclusion:

• Resumption of rail services is a far-reaching step. Delhi’s government and people must not relax vigil.

  Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

  E-Books Download for UPSC IAS Exams

  General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Material

Prelims Questions:

Q.1) Consider the following statements with reference to the Coal India Ltd (CIL):

1. Coal India Ltd (CIL) will invest over 1.22 lakh crore rupees on development of nearly 500 projects related to coal evacuation, infrastructure, project development, exploration and clean coal technologies in the country.
2. Coal India has also identified 15 greenfield projects which will be operated under the Mine Developer and Operator (MDO) model.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: C