286 metro stations in 15 hours: Delhi man set Guinness World Record in 2021, gets certified in 2023
Shashank Manu started the attempt at 5 am on the blue line and completed the feat at 8:30 pm at the Brigadier Hoshiar Singh station, which is on the green line.
A Delhi-based man has set a Guinness World Record after covering all 286 metro stations in the national capital within 15 hours, 22 minutes and 49 seconds, the Indian Express reported.
Shashank Manu, who has travelled to over 70 countries, set the record in 2021. However, he officially received the certification only in April 2023 after a mix up that saw the honour being credited to Prafull Singh, a revenue inspector with Delhi Metro. Singh had reportedly taken 16 hours and 2 minutes to cover all stations in 2021.
After several months of talks with the Guinness records team, Manu finally laid claim to the accomplishment.
How Manu clocked the record
To achieve the feat, the freelance researcher used a one-day tourist card and began the day at 5 am on the blue line, ending at 8:30 pm at the Brigadier Hoshiar Singh station on the green line. The tourist card allowed him to utilise unlimited rides for a day in the network spanning 348 km.
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Manu was inspired to take on this record during the Covid-19 pandemic, he told the Indian Express. After the resumption of metro services post-lockdown, Manu attempted the record.
The Delhi man ensured every phase of his journey was recorded with photographs, an uncut video and verified with a signed form from other passengers’. Two ‘independent witnesses’ accompanied him throughout the journey, which also had to adhere to the Covid protocols, as per the Guinness guidelines. He also ensured that the opening and closing time of the train doors at each station was noted.
Manu wanted to draw attention to the “highly efficient and impressive nature” of the ‘best metro in the world’ with this record.
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The report added that crafting an itinerary that allows travelling to all metro stations in the least time was the most fruitful outcome from the challenge for Manu. The globetrotter, who aims to break more records, also holds records for the ‘most museums visited in 24 hours’ and ‘most places of worship visited in one month’.