BENGALURU:
Namma Metro services between
Yelachenahalli and RV Road were disrupted for 90 minutes on Wednesday as the third rail was damaged.
BMRCL officials said services on Green Line, which normally commence at 5am, were delayed till 6.30am after a tree branch fell on the track between Jayanagar and Lalbagh stations, damaging the third rail. The third line system supplies 750 volt DC voltage for the trains to run.
BMRCL officials said services were restored after the rail was repaired and a safety clearance was given. Ajay Seth, BMRCL managing director, said: “There was a disruption early in the morning due to maintenance work to remove nearby tree growth”. He added: “There was no damage per se to the third rail. After pruning, the maintenance team has to make sure that all the growth is removed and the walkway and third rail are cleared, which led to the delay”.
Officials said there are several trees, particularly between Lalbagh and RV Road stations, and they were pruning their branches when one of them may have fallen on the elevated track on Wednesday morning. However, BMRCL officials clarified that no cracks developed in the track.
The number of passengers was marginally lesser on Wednesday due to Bakrid, and BMRCL operated trains as per their Saturday timetable.
This is the second time in the past six months that train services between the two stations have been suspended. In February, BMRCL suspended services between these stations after cracks were discovered near the crossover section at Yelachenahalli station.
File photo of Namma Metro.
