Delhi Metro services hit by technical snag

Commuting on the busy Delhi Metro route connecting Dwarka with Anand Vihar and Noida was tough today with as many as 10 train trips cancelled and the rest running behind schedule due to a technical problem.

Commuting on the busy Delhi Metro route connecting Dwarka with Anand Vihar and Noida was tough on Tuesday with as many as 10 train trips cancelled and the rest running behind schedule due to a technical problem.

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"A technical snag in the communication network affected train services between 10 am and 4 pm. This resulted in cancellation of 10 train trips on the Dwarka-Noida/Anand Vihar line," a Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) official said.

He said the train services were affected due to intermittent automatic train supervision (ATS) server failure, resulting in the problem of identification of trains, which are monitored through computers.

"However, several trains ran in between to cater to increasing number of passengers as the server was okay for some time or the trains were shifted to manual mode," the official said.

Metro trains operate on an automated system and each train has an identification number. With this, each train's location is monitored by the operational control centre (OCC).

The ID numbers of the trains operating on the route did not appear on the system because of the server failure. The trains were then shifted from automated to manual mode, slowing down their speed, the official said.

"As the trains plied on at lesser speed, the other trains which were following had a delayed start," he added.

All other lines, however, remained unaffected and train services were normal, a Metro spokesperson said.

Around 10 lakh people commute daily on Delhi Metro on an average, and line 3-4 between Dwarka-Noida/Anand Vihar has the maximum traffic, the spokesperson said.

Also, the route covers the maximum distance out of 111-km Metro network.

By the time the Commonwealth Games are held in October, the network will reach nearly all areas of the capital as well as adjoining cities like Gurgaon, covering a network of nearly 190 km.