Metro Train services were disrupted on Line- 2 (Jahangirpuri-Huda City Centre Line) today. The disruption occurred when a train moving from Central Secretariat towards Udyog Bhawan developed a fault and was stranded between these two stations. This train was moving towards Huda City Centre. The sequence of the events was as under:
1) 9.24 AM- An 8 coach Metro Train stranded in mid section between Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan Metro Station.
2) 9.24 AM to 9.37 AM - DMRC staff and Operation Control Centre attempted local trouble shooting repairs to restart the train.
3) 9.30 AM– Tunnel ventilation and Tunnel lights of the section switched on .
4) 9.37 AM-DMRC’s Operational Managers took a decision to rescue the stranded train with the help of another regular passenger train available immediately behind this train at Central Secretariat platform.
5) 9.37AM to 9.50 AM – The planned rescue train available at Central Secretariat was emptied of regular passengers. The Train Operator of the stranded train ahead instructed to come to the rear cab in preparation of receiving the rescue train.
6) 9.50 AM- Passengers from the stranded train push open the emergency door of the train on their own and came on to the track towards Central Secretariat without authorization. Some passengers also entered the adjacent track which was meant for the movement of passengers travelling from Huda City Centre towards Jahagirpuri (the DMRC OCC had ordered stoppage of trains on this track also as a precautionary measure before starting the rescue operation)
7) 9.55 AM-As the passengers were on the track the Metro Operational Managers decided to abandon the plan to use the rescue train to push the stranded train to the next station since this would have endangered public moving on the tracks.
The General Manager (Operations)/DMRC personally supervised the evacuation of stranded passengers upto Central Secretariat Metro Station. 8) 9.50 AM to 10.45 AM- Total 1791 passengers were evacuated from the stranded train and track clearance was given.
9) In the interim (9.45 AM to 10.45 AM) two short loop services were started between Green Park to Huda City Centre and Central Secretariat to Jahangirpuri.
10) 10.59 AM – Stranded train becomes movable and taken to Green Park Siding.
11) 11.00 AM –Normal services resumed
PRECAUTIONS: During evacuation special care was taken by providing maximum tunnel lighting and ventilation. DMRC staff physically helped in guiding the passengers and assisted ladies and small children from the tunnel up to the platform REPERCUSSIONS: 1) 6 round trips between Jahangirpuri and Huda City Centre and 4 round trips between Vishwavidyalaya and Qutub Minar cancelled
2) 5 round trips delayed
3) To clear the rush at Rajiv Chowk and Kashmere Gate Metro Stations 2 empty trains were also sent from Vishwavidyalaya to these stations at 11.00 am
4) During the entire period centralized and local announcements were also made at all the stations and trains of Line -2 .
The Managing Director of DMRC, Mr. Mangu Singh expressing concern on the failure explained that all Metro technical systems are designed in a “FAIL SAFE” manner to ensure protection of passengers in the case of malfunctioning of any of the sub-systems of the Train. Mr. Singh also appointed a senior three member enquiry committee consisting of Executive Director (Safety), Executive Director (Rolling Stock) and General Manager (Operations) of DMRC to enquire into the causes of the failure and to suggest additional methodologies to manage the evacuation procedures in an underground tunnel.
