Holi 2021: Delhi Metro services to start from 2:30 pm on March 29

Ahead of Holi festivities, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) announced on Saturday that Delhi Metro services will start from 2:30 pm on March 29 (Monday) on the occasion of Holi.

In a tweet by DMRC, it read, "Holi Update--On Holi (29th March 2021), metro services will not be available till 2:30 PM on all lines of Delhi Metro, including Rapid Metro/Airport Express Line."The festival of Holi will be celebrated on March 28-29 this year. Earlier today, DMRC also informed that they will participate in the Earth Hour movement for promoting the idea of protecting nature. "This Earth Hour, join people around the world in switching off all unnecessary and non-essential lights on 27 March 2021 from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM, to #SpeakUpForNature," tweeted DMRC.

Holi Update

On Holi (29th March 2021), metro services will not be available till 2:30 PM on all lines of Delhi Metro, including Rapid Metro/Airport Express Line. pic.twitter.com/rMOJrZWWbj

— Delhi Metro Rail Corporation I कृपया मास्क पहनें (@OfficialDMRC) March 27, 2021

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has banned the public celebration of Holi, Shab-e-Barat and Good Friday owing to a spike in COVID-19 cases. 

Amid the concerns over the surge in the Covid-19 cases in the national capital with festivals around the corner, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday advised the people of the city not to organise gatherings as it might result in the spreading of the virus.

Jain said, "Holi celebrations and large gatherings will not be allowed across the city and action will be taken against people found violating the rules."

As per the recent advisory by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), the vigilance team under the district magistrates will be monitoring the gatherings and celebrations at public places. "I would appeal to all that we must celebrate the festivals within our homes. These festivals will every year and once the situation gets better we can celebrate them publicly but as of now public celebrations might result in another spike in the Covid-19 cases, therefore, celebrations at public places and gatherings must be avoided. Various teams have been constituted to monitor the celebrations and strict action will be taken against the violators," he added.

Jain also said that random testing of people coming from outside the national capital, especially from states where Covid-19 cases have reached an alarming stage is being conducted at the railway stations and the airport.