Thousands of passengers had a harrowing experience on Sunday after a technical snag paralysed train operations on Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line (HUDA City Centre to Samaypur Badli). As stranded passengers spilled onto roads, only to be fleeced by auto-rickshaw drivers, major routes in south Delhi got packed with traffic.
OHE strands damaged
The trouble began after 3 p.m. on Sunday and ended only late in the evening. However, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) wasn’t able to restore services completely on Line 2.
“Train services on Line 2 were slightly affected around 3.17 p.m. on Sunday due to some problem with the pantograph of a train, which damaged the OHE [overhead equipment] strands while approaching Chhattarpur going towards Samaypur Badli,” a DMRC spokesperson said. The snag took place at Chhattarpur metro station.
“While the OHE team was repairing the affected section, normal services were maintained on Line 2 by running trains in loops in a single line between HUDA City Centre and Sultanpur; Sultanpur and Qutab Minar; and Qutab Minar to Samaypur Badli,” the spokesperson said.
“As a result, train services were almost normal on the line and continuous service on the affected section will be restored as soon as the OHE repair work is over,” the spokesperson added.
Alternative transport
With train services affected, most stations on Line 2 were jam-packed with stranded passengers. Many passengers got out of stations to look for alternative modes of transport but were faced with rapacious auto-rickshaw drivers and cabs that were hard to come by due to high demand.
“I left from home in Vasant Kunj at 4.45 p.m. and took an auto-rickshaw to reach Chhattarpur metro station. The platform for trains going towards Samaypur Badli was cordoned off, while the other platform was being used for trains going in both directions,” said Delhi University student Alisha.
