Commuters fume as snag hits services at Metro's Blue Line

NEW DELHI: Delhi Metro services on the Blue Line were affected on Saturday for around 45 minutes due to a technical glitch, causing hardship to several commuters on the occasion of Bhai Dooj festival.

The snag occurred when the pantograph – which supplies power from the overhead wire to the train – got entangled in the overhead equipment (OHE) of a train between Rajiv Chowk and R K Ashram Marg section, while approaching Rajiv Chowk station at 9.20 am.

As a result, from 9.20 am to 10.05 am, train services were regulated on Line-3 in short loop between Yamuna Bank and Noida/Vaishali, between Karol Bagh and Dwarka Sector-21 and in single line between Karol Bagh and Yamuna Bank section.

A spokesperson of Delhi Metro rail Corporation (DMRC) informed that the OHE team undertook the restoration work in the affected section on down line and the train was removed from service at 10.05 am, after which services were restored.

On a day when the festive mood was bound to invite a large rush of passengers, the disruption of Metro services did not go down well with commuters.

Many of them took to Twitter to express their anger and frustration, slamming the DMRC over the poor services accorded to commuters despite the recent fare hikes.

DMRC is yet to release an official statement behind the exact reason that caused the delay.

The recent snag in services comes in the face of the second fare hike this year by Delhi Metro.

Despite boasting of being the most comfortable and punctual mode of public transport in the capital, technical snags have been very frequent, especially on the Blue Lineof the Metro.

The Blue Line of the Delhi Metro network consists of 44 stations between Dwarka Sector 21 and Noida City Centre, with a branch line consisting of eight stations from Vaishali to Yamuna Bank.