Title - Delhi Metro bid to avert suicides

NGO launches helpline to guide people out of depression The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has adopted measures to curb the worrying trend of people committing suicide on metro premises. The latest was Thursday’s foiled attempt by a 24-year-old young man who allegedly jumped from the Punjabi Bagh station on to the road.

The DMRC will soon be launching a public service initiative with the help of a non-government organisation to sensitise its frontline staff – those sitting at Customer Care and manning the station – to identify such people on metro premises and guide them to NGO volunteers. Posters will be put up and literature distributed to highlight the importance of life and how people suffering from depression or suicidal tendencies can contact the NGO’s helpline. The helpline, accessible at 011-23389090, will be functional between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. on weekdays and between 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends. The NGO is looking into making this a 24x7 helpline.

In addition, DMRC has put up barriers on platforms to mark the area beyond which passengers have no access and guards are deployed at stations to keep an eye on platforms.

The Delhi Metro has already installed additional railings at six stations and has expedited the process of installing additional railings at 19 stations across the National Capital Region.