Blue Line services disrupted after cable theft

NEW DELHI: Police registered a case in connection with the theft of over 140 metres of signalling cables between Moti Nagar and Kirti Nagar stations of Delhi Metro’s Blue Line on Thursday, officials said.

A senior police officer said that the case was registered under sections 303(2) (theft), 329(3) (criminal trespass and house-trespass) of the BNS, and section 74 of DMRC Act at Rajouri Garden Metro police station. According to sources, there are no CCTV cameras installed near the spot, but police teams are checking the entire stretch.

“The preliminary investigation has suggested that miscreants using nearby trees jumped onto the tracks. They severed a 142-metre section of wire, valued at over Rs 1 lakh, and threw it onto the road, causing damage to branches of trees.

“Prior to the incident, a few workers were reported to have been working near the spot. The police have obtained their contact details and will also question them regarding the incident,” a police source said.

One of the busiest metro corridors, the Blue Line connects Dwarka with Vaishali and Noida City Centre.

At 6 am on Thursday, the DMRC informed police about a cable theft between Moti Nagar and Kirti Nagar on the Blue Line. Train speeds were reduced to 25-30 km/h, causing commuter inconvenience. Normal services were restored at 1:38 pm after repairs.

DMRC’s team of 20 personnel completed the restoration in just over

30 minutes.

The stolen cable spanned 140 metres. Earlier this year, Police recommended improved security measures, including CCTV and lighting. Over 200 cable thefts have been reported in the past four years.