‘Track fracture’ hits Sunday N-S Metro ops for over 2 hrs

KOLKATA: Metro services along north-south corridor were hit for more than two hours on Sunday afternoon after a “rail welding fracture” was detected near Maidan station.
Though it was repaired later in the evening, commuters trying to escape the heat and looking for AC Metro commute faced tough times in the afternoon.
Sources said a Metro motorman’s timely reaction prevented a bigger mishap on Sunday. The motorman heard an abnormal sound between Maidan and Park Street stations around 3.10 pm and alerted the control room for a sharp lookout caution. An official said a rail welding fracture was detected and later repaired near the Maidan Metro station.
Metro Railway issued a statement at 5.29pm, saying, “Driving motorman of a Metro experienced an abnormal sound from the track bed of the Up line (Dakshineswar-bound) between Maidan and Park Street stations today. A sharp lookout caution has been issued. Officers and staff have rushed to the spot to ascertain the situation.” When asked if it was rail welding fracture that caused the disruptions, Metro Railway CPRO Kausik Mitra said, “Prima facie, it may be due to this.” They would only know after the inquiry was over, Mitra added.
Following the incident, Metro suspended services between Girish Park and Tollygunge and had truncated runs in the Girish Park-Dakshineswar and Mahanayak Uttam Kumar (Tollygunge)-Kavi Subhas (Garia) sections from 4pm.
Normal services along the entire 31km stretch between Dakshineswar and Kavi Subhas stations resumed at 5.45pm. Sources said the welding fault has been restored.
On February 2, last year, a rail fracture was detected between Belgachhia and Shyambazar and morning services along the north-south line were disrupted for nearly three hours.
“The rails/weld fail due to stress caused by extreme weather conditions — hot or cold. A welding fracture is a potential safety hazard,” said an engineer. In 2021, Railway Board said in a note to general managers of zonal railways that rail fracture and weld failure had emerged as a “major concern for rail safety”.