Metro services disrupted for 30 mins

Kolkata: Metro services were disrupted for more than half an hour after a staff of Metro railway noticed a spark on the third rail which supplies electricity to the rakes between Mahanayak Uttam Kumar and Netaji Metro stations. During the disruption, truncated services were on between Dum Dum and Mahanayak Uttam Kumar stations.

According to sources, on Tuesday at 2:21 pm, a Metro railway staff noticed a spark on the third rail. Immediately, he informed the matter to senior officials of Metro railway, following which service between Mahanayak Uttam Kumar and Kavi Subhash was suspended.

The electricity connection was also cut off and a power block was arranged. Officials and engineers of Metro railway rushed to the spot to handle the situation.

During preliminary checking, engineers found that a bird had made a nest just beside the third rail. A portion of the nest somehow got loose and came in touch with the third rail, which created the flash.

The nest was removed immediately and the track was checked repeatedly to ensure that no further problem remained unnoticed. After thorough checking, clearance was given and normal Metro services resumed from 2:56 pm.

Metro Railway authorities claimed that proper announcement was made immediately after the problem got noticed. But passengers became panic-stricken as the situation on December 27 was still on their minds.

On December 27, an AC rake had got stuck inside a tunnel after smoke started coming out from under it. Passengers had to break the window to get out of the smoke-filled rake. Several passengers had fallen ill and some had to be hospitalised.