More metro trains, free bus rides for Raksha Bandhan

Women in the capital will get free rides in public buses Tuesday, on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan festival, and Delhi Metro will run around 300 extra trains in anticipation of the rush of commuters, officials said Sunday.

The free rides will be allowed in the green low-floor Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses as well as the orange cluster buses between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and would cover the entire national capital region (NCR).

"The decision has been taken to provide a safe, comfortable and convenient ride to women visiting places of their brothers to tie rakhis," Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will be operating the extra trains on the eve of Raksha Bandhan - Monday - as well as Tuesday when the festival, celebrating the brother-sister bond, will be observed.

"In view of the high ridership observed on the eve of the festival and the day itself for the past few years, the DMRC has decided to run extra trains and deploy additional personnel to cater to the extra rush of commuters expected on these two days," the DMRC statement said.

According to ridership figures, in 2012, over 22 lakh passengers travelled the day before Raksha Bandhan by metro; close to 20 lakh riders took the metro trains on the day of Rakhi.

Delhi Metro hit a high ridership figure of 25 lakh passengers recently. Its operational network has grown to 190 km. Metro services began in Delhi in 2002.

On Raksha Bandhan, a sister ties a rakhi (decorative thread) on the wrist of her brother, and he, in turn, gives her gifts and vows to protect her.

--indo-Asian News Service

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