Gallery opening to curb crowding at Rajiv Chowk

The Delhi Metro will open from Saturday the viewers' gallery -- part of the unpaid area of the Rajiv Chowk metro station -- to decongest the space and facilitate smooth passenger movement, an official said on Friday.

"The move is aimed at facilitating smooth movement of passengers from one side of the station to another and to avoid unnecessary congestion inside the paid area," Delhi Metro said in a statement.

The Delhi Metro said the station had eight entry gates and passengers entering from gate one to four reach platform No.3, across which trains going towards Noida/Vaishali pass, while those using gates five to eight reach platform No.4 across which trains going towards Dwarka pass.

"It has been observed that generally 70 percent of the passengers land up at the Dwarka-side platform and then cross the foot overbridge to go towards the Noida/Vaishali platform."

Those having to go towards Dwarka also cross the foot overbridge to reach the right platform and this causes unnecessary congestion at a few entry points while others are hardly used.

"Now, with its opening, passengers, even if they enter from a wrong side, would be encouraged/allowed to use the gallery, which falls in the unpaid area," the statement said.

With minimal movement, passengers will be able to reach the right entry side and platform.

The station records an average footfall of around five lakh daily.