Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday urged the Centre to resume the metro rail services and cited the Capital’s improving situation of the coronavirus crisis to support it.

“I have requested the Centre that Delhi should be treated differently,” he said during a meeting with entrepreneurs via video conferencing. “The coronavirus situation is improving in Delhi. If you [Centre] don’t want to run metro trains in other cities, it is okay. But, in Delhi, metro train services should be started in a phased manner, on a trial basis.”

The chief minister claimed to have taken up the matter with the Centre several times, and hoped that it will soon take a decision.

The Delhi Metro has reportedly been preparing to restart its services, with thermal scanners and posters on physical distancing norms being put up over seats and platforms. The average regular ridership of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is more than 26 lakh, according to Mint.

On Monday, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said it was ready to resume services whenever directed by the government to do so. “All necessary guidelines in place to combat the spread of Covid-19 shall be implemented, and all efforts shall be made to make travel safe for our valued commuters,” DMRC Executive Director Anuj Dayal said.

Kejriwal also hailed his administration for dealing with the coronavirus, adding that it was “being discussed in the country” and the world. “We imposed lockdown in Delhi only once, and then gradually resumed work across fields from June 1 onwards,” he said, according to Mint. “Probably, Delhi is the only city where lockdown hasn’t been imposed again, as we understand work and Covid management can go hand-in-hand.”

The Capital registered 1,450 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, the biggest surge in infections in August. The city’s case count stood at 1.61 lakh and the toll at 4,300.

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