DMRC and the Central Industrial Police Force (CISF) that guards the Metro network are scrambling to install more barriers and deploy marshals and more cops at platforms to check suicide cases.

On Saturday evening, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) put out a social media post: "Take care of yourself. Give time to your mental health." On Thursday, it had posted: "Your mental health is as important as your physical health." A more detailed message on Tuesday had talked about support, healing and love, urging passengers to write a slogan or a short poem dedicating it to somebody in need.

On Monday, DMRC's post had said: "It is okay to have bad days, but more importantly, remember that it is okay to ask for help." These are just some of the messages being posted in English, Hindi and some other Indian languages with illustrations of positivity and hope with a hashtag: #Never-GiveUp. A large panel with such messages has also been put on display at Patel Chowk Metro Museum.

The highly intensive, and also unusual, campaign comes in the midst rising concern over cases of suicide at Delhi Metro stations. Sample these: A 40-year-old man ended his life by throwing himself in front of a moving train at Adarsh Nagar Metro Station on September 11, a day after World Suicide Prevention Day.

On September 7, a 26-year-old woman did the same at Model Town Metro Station. On September 2 and 3, two passengers killed themselves in a similar fashion at different stations. And it's not only about the four deaths reported in a span of 10 days this month. A total of 37 attempts, 11 deaths and 14 cases of injuries and subsequent hospitalisation have been reported between January and June this year, Mail Today has learnt from official sources.

This has made Metro stations appear Delhi's new suicide hotspots. As many as 46 deaths were reported between 2015 and 2018, according to the information given by the Central government in Parliament. A joint operation of the Centre and the Delhi government, DMRC's is by far the largest Metro network in India with eight colour-coded regular lines, running over 343 km and serving 250 stations. Each day DMRC caters to over 22 lakh passengers.

THE PREVENTION

DMRC and the Central Industrial Police Force (CISF) that guards the Metro network are scrambling to install more barriers and deploy marshals and more cops at platforms to check suicide cases. "We're also sensitising our staff and security personnel to look out for passengers who show signs of distress. CCTV camera feed is also being monitored for the same.

Some passengers are also brought to the station control room and counselled," said an official. And there have been some results. Security personnel have managed to foil 21 suicide attempts in the last 9 months, officials said. "They tried to jump on railway tracks while trains were approaching. Some also tried to jump from elevated structures. We're running a #NeverGiveUp campaign to stop these attempts," said Anuj Dayal, chief spokesperson, DMRC.

For example, an alert DMRC official managed to hold the leg of a female passenger who tried to jump from an elevated platform at Badarpur Station on May 9. "The height of railings of some elevated stations has been increased to prevent people from jumping on roads. After this measure, suicide attempts have significantly come down," the official said.

THE 'BARRIERS'

DMRC has, as part of its crowd-management measures, installed platform screen doors (PSDs) at some of its busiest stations such as Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk, New Delhi, Chawri Bazar and Kashmere Gate. "PSDs also act as a deterrent to suicide attempts. We plan to expand the installation process for new stations," said an official.

Data shows that most suicides were attempted on the Blue Line (connecting Dwarka Sector 21 and Vaishali/Noida/Electronic City). But PSDs are installed only at Rajiv Chowk station on this route. "Installing PSDs at operational stations is an extremely challenging task. Metro operations continue till about 1 am and the first train moves out at about 5 am. There's a very little window for such work. The syncing of the gates with train movement also needs continuous trials," he said.

WHY METRO STATIONS?

Experts said increasing depression is driving people towards taking their own lives. "Metro is a public place and is usually crowded. Easy access can be the reason for these cases," said Soumya Mudgal, consultant, department of psychiatry, Max Hospital. Sewa Ram, from the School of Planning and Architecture, said: "Depressed persons have a mindset to end their lives. Metro stations are easily accessible place for them to commit suicide.