Kolkata: A snag in the platform screen doors of Green Line's Mahakaran station, which opened when a train arrived, caused a spark that led to panic among passengers on Tuesday morning. The third line, which supplies electricity to the metro, was immediately switched off. Services were disrupted for nearly an hour from 11.44 am.
"A rubber fender started burning near the down platform of Mahakaran station of the Green Line. It was extinguished as a precautionary measure. Down line (Howrah-bound) services were interrupted between 11.44 am and 12.37 pm. The matter is being investigated to pinpoint the exact cause," Metro Railway said in a statement.
The breakdown did not affect Kolkata-bound commuters as the Sector V-bound services continued despite the glitch on the Howrah Maidan-bound tracks. Pranab Chakraborty, who was taking the metro to catch a train, said, "When services stopped, no one seemed to know when they would resume. So, I walked out and took a bus to Howrah station," the Tollygunge resident said.
"There have been signal-related issues on the Green Line in the past but never has an incident like Tuesday's occurred. The Howrah-bound train had stopped as usual, and the PSD opened along with the rake's doors. But then there was a flash and we could see the insulator burning," a metro staff member said.