Equipment failures plague Delhi Metro

Over <g data-gr-id="41">Head</g> equipment failures have grounded Delhi Metro several times over the past few months, giving trouble to passengers dependent on the capital’s lifeline. According to official data, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has reported six incidents of major technical failures till July this year with five or more than five round trips cancelled.

As per Urban Development Ministry, which has administrative control over DMRC, the incidents took place in the months of March, May, June and July on Yellow Line, that connects Jahangirpuri to Huda City Center, and Blue Line, that connects Noida/Vaishali to Dwarka.

One incident has come to light in reply to a Lok Sabha question, wherein 350 passengers had to be deboarded from a train entering Yamuna Bank station at around 10.48 PM on May 11. 

“During fault rectification in <g data-gr-id="25">night</g>, it was found that some miscreant had tried to steal <g data-gr-id="26">automatic</g> tensioning device,” the reply stated. 

Funds incurred on repair and maintenance work of metro have also seen a steady rise over the last three years, with Rs 312.04 crore spent in 2014-15 from Rs 199.93 in 2012-13. 

Metro had earlier replaced all its overhead “faulty” insulators, that ensure that electricity does not pass on to supporting masts or poles, of Blue Line. They had caused frequent snags disrupting rail operations in the recent past.