Don’t fly kites near Metro, DMRC tells children

New Delhi, Aug 11 (IANS) The Delhi Metro on Friday said it has successfully conducted a campaign to make children aware of the "effects/consequences of kite flying near metro tracks having 25 Kilo Voltage OHE lines."

The one-month campaign, which educated around 5,000 schoolchildren, was conducted at the newly built Mukundpur depot site. It included skits, street plays and use of banners and was mounted to raise awareness among children who take to flying kites during this time of the year.

"This extensive community outreach campaign was organised from July 8 to August 10, 2017, to sensitize the local communities and schoolchildren with a view to avoid any incidences of flashover on the 25,000 Volt Over Head Equipment which may take place due to kite strings, especially metallic/Chinese manjha and may prove fatal besides damaging the Metro system/property," a statement from the Delhi Metro said.

Apart from the children, thousands of other residents of nearby colonies like Mukundpur, Kewal Park, Rameshwar Nagar, Majlis Park, Adarsh Nagar, Jahangirpuri etc of North Delhi were educated during the campaign, said the transporter.

"Professional agencies with reputed actors were roped in to perform the plays. A mobile exhibition with creative display of awareness messages regarding dangers of kite flying was one of the major highlights during the weekends of the campaign period," it added.

Mukundpur depot is located on the upcoming Pink Line (Majlis Park-Shiv Vihar), which will cover almost the entire Ring Road of the city.

Trial runs are already being conducted on stretches of the line, which is likely to be operational by March next year.