Metro Train crashes into wall during trial run

A Delhi Metro train crashed into a wall in Kalindi Kunj depot during a trial run, just days before its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Christmas.

The front portion of the metro train and a stretch of the depot's boundary wall was damaged in the incident that took place at around 3:40 PM.

Though no one was injured in the incident, officials said, the front portion of the metro train and a stretch of the depot's boundary wall was damaged.

Delhi Metro Managing Director Mangu Singh ordered a high-level enquiry into this incident by a committee of three senior officers - Executive Director/Rolling Stock (Project), Executive Director/Rolling Stock (O&M), Executive Director/Operations.

According to a statement by Delhi Metro, "prima facie it appears, to be a case of human error and negligence and appropriate action will be taken after the enquiry."

Giving the sequence of incident, it said a trial train was moved from the workshop without testing the brake system. "As a result of this, while the train was moving up the ramp for washing, it rolled back and hit the adjacent boundary wall."

It said when a train enters the workshop, the brakes of the train are decommissioned so that the train and its systems including the brakes can be freely checked. As per procedure, once the train is again re-commissioned, the brakes should have been tested by the maintenance staff in the depot before the train left the shed.

"Prima facie, it appears, this was not done and subsequently, the person who took charge of the train from the maintenance staff also did not check the brake and proceeded with the train up to the washing plant built on a ramp. While stopping at the ramp, since the brakes were not available, the train rolled back causing this incident," the statement said.