Odd-even scheme: CISF to deploy additional 500 personnel in Delhi Metro

NEW DELHI: The CISF will pump in its "reserve" forces and deploy over 500 additional personnel in order to bolster security arrangements in the wake of an expected rise in passenger footfall during the odd-even traffic roll out here.

Officials said the force has prepared a blueprint to effectively tackle and ease the entry of passengers of the rapid rail network during the January 1-15 fortnight, during which the new traffic plan in the national capital is proposed to be implemented.

"The force will augment its numbers at all the important and vital stations from the view of passenger traffic. The reserves have been called out. A conservative estimate of the new numbers could be about 500 men and women more on duty during this special fortnight," officials said.

They added that leaves of the existing strength of the force deployed for Metro security would also be strictly "regulated" and concessions will only be allowed in extreme important cases.

The force will also increase the number of its plain clothes personnel to keep an eye on troublemakers and criminals who could be looking to take advantage of the increased rush and commit illegal activities, they said.

"Quick Reaction Teams and vehicles to transport them will also be augmented," they said.

In stations where the passenger entry is voluminous like inter-change stations, they said, a second rung of frisking and spotting personnel will be deployed.

They said a review meeting was recently held by the Central Industrial Security Force headquarters here along with senior officials of the north sector and the Delhi Metro unit led by Deputy Inspector General Raghubir Lal.

At present, the force has deployed over 4,500 personnel for securing the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) stations network and the passengers using it commute in the national capital region areas including Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad.

The DMRC has also announced that its trains will make 70 additional trips during the odd-even period, taking the number of daily trips to 3,192, leading to a marginal increase in the frequency of its services to tackle the expected rush of passengers.

In a radical step to curb alarming air pollution, Delhi government has decided to restrict plying of private cars bearing odd and even registration numbers to alternate days from January 1 to 15 in the national capital.