A 16-year-old boy’s mischief delayed the metro trains running along the Green Line by five minutes on Friday afternoon as he activated the emergency switch at Puttenahalli station, cutting off power supply to the trains.
Officials said an SSLC student’s action led to stoppage of two trains between Puttenahalli and Anjanapura section for a little over five minutes. “Though we have put up the necessary sign, the boy pressed the emergency button. As the power supply to the third rail stopped, the trains were stuck at the station for five minutes. Since he was a minor, no penalty was imposed. The station authorities summoned his parents. He was made to write an apology letter and let go,” Chief Public Relations Officer B L Yashavanth Chavan told DH.
The ETS, which cuts off power supply to the third rail, is designed to cover two or three metro stations. The pressing of the switch in Puttenahalli had effectively cut off power supply for trains on the section till Anjanapura.
Sources said the trains were not stalled in between the stations because standard operation procedure (SOP) was followed. When the power is cut, the trains that have already gained momentum are not stopped till they reach the station. Trains departing a station are stopped immediately.
Second incident
It is a second such incident when the ETS was activated without a valid reason, after a similar incident at Sampige Road station.
Officials said the disruption to the operations was minimal due to lean hour of operations. “During peak hour, the trains are run at 5-minute frequency. Such mischief will affect more than four trains and lead to overcrowding when the operations resume. Commuters need to realise the importance of good behavior in ensuring the smooth functioning of mass public transport,” an official said.
BMRCL mulls penalty
BMRCL Executive Director (Operations & Maintenance) A S Shankar said they will look into the possibility of introducing penalty for activating ETS without a valid reason. “We will review the rules to understand best way to encourage good behaviour,” he said.