Snag hits Delhi Metro services on Blue Line, yet again

On Tuesday, train services were affected for more than two hours. Journey time for passengers doubled as trains were running at slow speed, which led to bunching of trains.

Train services on Delhi Metro’s Dwarka Sector-21-Noida/Vaishali (Blue Line) were hit due to a technical snag, yet again on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, train services were affected for more than two hours. Journey time for passengers doubled as trains were running at slow speed, which led to bunching of trains. (Hindustan Times)

The rail link is the busiest line of the Delhi Metro network and has reported snags frequently.

On Tuesday, train services were affected for more than two hours. Journey time for passengers doubled as trains were running at slow speed, which led to bunching of trains.

“Train services on Line-3/4(Dwarka Sec-21 to Noida/Vaishali) faced minor delays between 10am and 12 noon due to signalling problem near entry signal of Dwarka station on Up Line (Trains coming from Noida/Vaishali). As a result, trains had to move at restricted speed of 20-25 kmph on the affected stretch only. At 11:50 am (off peak hour), 10 minutes maintenance block was granted to rectify the fault. During maintenance block, trains were regulated,” said a DMRC spokesperson.

Few trains were also short looped from Rajouri Garden and Janakpuri West Metro stations towards Noida/Vaishali side.

“I boarded a Metro from Vaishali and it took 35 minutes to reach Yamuna Bank, which normally takes 15 minutes. Then at Yamuna Bank, the train did not move for 10 minutes. I could not get down also as you don’t get public transport at Yamuna Bank. Then the train finally moved and I took an auto from Indraprastha,” said a commuter.

Due to slow speed, train was stopping at every station for 5-10 minutes against the normal duration of 10-20 seconds. At the interchange station – Mandi House and Rajeev Chowk, the situation turned worse as passengers coming from other directions made their way into the already packed trains.

Regular snags on the Blue Line have raised question on the efficiency of Delhi Metro’s longest and busiest line. Over 50 km of network, five interchange stations and 30% increase in the expected ridership, seems to be too much for the line and DMRC is hoping that phase-III stations will reduce the burden.

Read: Delhi Metro’s Pink Line to have longest bridge on Yamuna

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had estimated that ridership of this line by 2016 would be 9.18 lakh per day but in August, 2015, it was 11.94 lakh in a day. This line carries over 30% of the Delhi metro’s passengers and since most of the part is elevated, the vulnerability to snag is more.

This line has 44 metro stations from Dwarka Sector 21 to Noida City Centre with a length of 51.35 km and a branch line consisting of 7 stations from Yamuna Bank to Vaishali, with a length of 8.85 km.