Kolkata, 15 October (H.S.): Services on the Kolkata Metro's Blue Line (Dakshineswar-Shaheed Khudiram) were disrupted again on Wednesday afternoon. Due to a technical glitch between Girish Park and Mahatma Gandhi Road stations, metro services were temporarily suspended between Dum Dum and Shaheed Khudiram from around 12:30 p.m.

According to Metro Rail sources, a track problem was detected between Girish Park and Mahatma Gandhi Road after 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. As soon as the problem was detected, metro services were halted on both the up and down lines. Several trains were stranded between stations, and the evacuation of coaches was later announced.

The Metro administration initially stated that limited service would be temporarily provided from Shaheed Khudiram to Maidan and Dum Dum to Dakshineswar. But according to eyewitnesses, after 1:30 pm, an announcement was made at Dum Dum station that metro services would now operate only from Dakshineswar to Dum Dum, while service from Dum Dum to Shahid Khudiram would be completely suspended.

Due to the sudden disruption, many passengers tried to leave the metro and travel by bus, auto, or taxi. However, the traffic jam on Central Avenue further exacerbated the difficulties. Buses were overcrowded. Somnath Rai, traveling from Dum Dum to Chandni Chowk, said, There was a huge crowd outside the Girish Park Metro station. After two buses had passed, I somehow managed to get a seat on the third bus.

Kolkata Metro Chief Public Relations Officer S.S. Kannan said, There was a technical problem at the Mahatma Gandhi Road station. A team of engineers is on site and working on the problem. Service will be restored soon. However, he did not specify the cause of the problem.

Notably, service on the Blue Line was also disrupted on Saturday and Sunday. A signal failure in Dum Dum halted metro services between Dakshineswar and Girish Park for nearly three hours. On Sunday evening, a train broke down near the Mahanayak Uttam Kumar station in Tollygunge, disrupting services for more than an hour. Then, on Wednesday, another technical glitch caused commuters inconvenience.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey