‘Point problem’: Metro services hit on Yellow Line for about 45 mins

Kolkata: Services on Kolkata Metro’s newly-opened Yellow Line between Noapara and Kolkata Airport were disrupted for about 45 minutes on Friday morning due to a point problem at Jai Hind Bimanbandar Station.

According to Metro officials, the fault, which began around 8.45 am, led to a rake being detained at Jessore Road station on the Down line towards Noapara. Both Up and Down services remained suspended until the problem was rectified around 9.30 am.

Meanwhile, Metro Railway has announced that no service will be available on the North–South corridor (Blue Line) between Mahanayak Uttam Kumar (Tollygunge) and Shahid Khudiram (Briji) till 4 pm on Sunday to facilitate the installation of a turnout at Shahid Khudiram station. The work is scheduled from 11 pm on Saturday to 3 pm on Sunday.

Shahid Khudiram has temporarily become the southern terminal after services to and from Kavi Subhash (New Garia) were suspended on July 28 following the detection of cracks in four pillars on its Dakshineswar-bound platform. To ease inconvenience, additional services will run from 7 am on Sunday between Mahanayak Uttam Kumar and Dakshineswar. On the Green Line, operations will begin at 8 am, an hour earlier than the usual 9 am start, to facilitate the movement of candidates appearing for Miscellaneous Services Recruitment Examination.

Commuters have also reported in recent days that several Blue Line trains from Dakshineswar are being short-terminated at Tollygunge instead of continuing to Shahid Khudiram. Officials confirmed that while some rakes are being turned back from Tollygunge, others are continuing to Shahid Khudiram. Kolkata Metro has seen rising passenger pressure since the commissioning of the entire East–West corridor between Howrah and Salt Lake Sector V and the launch of the Yellow Line connecting the airport to the Blue Line at Noapara. Commuters said overcrowding on the Blue Line has worsened, with doors often failing to close during peak hours, leading to longer halts and frequent delays.

Subhasis Sengupta, vice-president of the Metro Railway Progotisil Sramik Karmachari Union, alleged that inadequate staffing has worsened the situation. “The Blue Line carries the maximum passenger load and generates the bulk of revenue. Yet traffic staff are being shifted to new lines. Many new senior traffic assistants, promoted only in June, have been given charge after a three-day crash course without sufficient field experience. Language barriers have also triggered unrest among passengers,” he said.