Metro hit as Mamata mulls

A snag threw Metro Railway services off track on Wednesday evening while Mamata Banerjee was reviewing work on the extension of Kolkatans' favourite transit network.

A Garia Bazar (Kavi Nazrul)-bound train got stranded at Kudghat (Netaji) station for around two hours from 6.30pm after the traction motor that draws current and keeps the rake moving developed a snag.

“Technicians on the train identified the snag but failed to fix it and called for more support staff. After the motor was repaired at 8.18pm, the empty train was taken to Tollygunge for a detailed inspection,” said a Metro Railway spokesperson.

So long the train was stranded at Netaji, all Kavi Nazrul-bound trains were diverted to the Up or Dum Dum-tracks at Tollygunge. This resulted in a delay between half an hour and 45 minutes for each train and overcrowding.

“In the extended section (between Tollygunge and Garia Bazar), we had to use only one pair of tracks for Up as well as Down trains. This caused the delay,” said an official.

The harassment continued late into the night with personnel manning ticket counters warning commuters they had no clue when the next train would arrive. “Even when it does, you may not be able to board it,” an official at the Chandni Chowk counter said at 10pm.

Metro has 18 rakes, all of which are old enough to be phased out. Only 15 of the rakes are usually in running condition and one train less — because of the snag — made the Metro ride a nightmare.

Passengers alleged that the authorities had made no announcement to inform them about the delay.

“Snags and subsequent disruptions in service have become routine. Metro must focus on improving its infrastructure,” said a passenger.

Around the same time, Mamata said at her Harish Chatterjee Street home: “At the meeting, I asked officials to avoid demolition of properties and minimise other inconveniences people would face because of the Metro extension. Where the demolition is a must, the problems of the affected persons have to be considered sensitively. Those who need to be evicted will be rehabilitated.”

The meeting was attended by senior railway officials, party MPs, mayor Sovan Chatterjee and the chairperson of Salt Lake municipality, Anita Mondal.

The minister reviewed the extension of Metro on the Barrackpore-Noapara, Baranagar-Noapara, Barasat-Noapara and Joka-BBD Bag routes.

Mamata will inspect the extension work on the Joka-BBD Bag route on September 6.

“Railway officials and Trinamool ministers (other than Mamata) will survey the other three routes on September 6 and 7 morning,” said Trinamool leader and Union minister Dinesh Trivedi, who attended the meeting.

Mamata alleged that the state government was “not cooperating with us, delaying the Metro extension”.


The Telegraph Metro