Snag disrupts Metro services

KOLKATA: Metro services were disrupted after a Dum Dum-bound AC rake got stranded at the Park Street station for nearly seven minutes from 2.13pm on Saturday. The train entered the station and stopped as usual to allow passengers to get off and board the coaches. However, the motorman failed to restart the train.
"The motorman tried for a couple of minutes, but the train would not start. In railway parlance, this is known as no-motoring. The doors were then opened and passengers asked to get off. Technicians then attended to the snag and the train left Park Street at 2.21pm without passengers. At the Esplanade station, passengers boarded the train and it chugged normally to Dum Dum. After the trip, technicians rechecked the rake but found no defects," a Metro Railway spokesperson said.

On why the train did not take any passengers from Park Street itself, an official said: "Apart from no-motoring, drop in compressor pressure was detected when technicians inspected the rake at the Park Street station."

"We did not want to take a chance. Had the problem persisted, the rake could have got stranded in the tunnel with passengers. We decided to run the rake for at least one station to ensure all was fine. When it reached Esplanade without any further problem, we decided to let passengers board," the official added.

Metro Railway has 13 AC rakes. To run 300 services a day, at least 20 rakes are required. To ensure passenger comfort during summer, most of the AC rakes are pressed into service. With these rakes running continuously, the possibility of fatigue is high, said officials.