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NEW DELHI: A “terminator” train will be flagged off from New Delhi railway station on Friday to curb mosquito breeding along the railway tracks and waterbodies falling on the route. However, the launch will be done without much fanfare because of the pandemic. South Delhi Municipal Corporation said that like every year, the train will run during the monsoon period from August 28 to October 2 in association with Northern Railway. “The train, equipped with power sprayers to kill the insects, will start operations at 11am and cover various areas across Delhi,” said a senior official.
While the SDMC commissioner and senior railway officers will flag off the train, only select municipal employees who will be spraying the insecticide will be allowed inside the station. “Truck-mounted power sprayers will be provided to workers for spraying the insecticides up to a distance of 50-60 metres along the tracks, especially near residential areas, drains, waterbodies and water collection points,” said the official.
The train will move at a speed of 20kmph and cover a distance of about 150km in each cycle. In all, 10 cycles will be conducted. The train will pass through Tilak Bridge, Lajpat Nagar, Nizamuddin, Delhi Cantonment, Sarai Rohilla, Palam and other parts of north and east Delhi, such as Kishanganj, Adarsh Nagar, Sabzi Mandi, Narela and Shahdara.
“Besides waterbodies, insecticides will be sprayed in depressions on both sides of tracks where chances of mosquito breeding remain high after rain. Though cases of dengue and chikungunya remain low this year, we are taking all precautions,” said the official.