Crack in rail needs a while to be fixed at Yelachenahalli stn

A crack in a rail that has forced Metro trains to run on a single track near Yelachenahalli station may take a while to be fixed as officials suspect that the rail at the crossover section needs to be replaced.

The fracture was discovered last week during a walk-by inspection, conducted regularly during the night. Soon, all the Metro trains to Yelachenahalli were diverted to Platform Number 2, with the same track being used to carry onward and return trains.

"The crack has been formed on the crossover section at the entrance of Yelachenahalli station. Without taking any chances, we are running trains using the single track. Trains going from Majestic are made to wait for a minute till one exiting station crosses the section. However, no inconvenience has been caused to commuters," a senior official from Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL)  said.

The crossovers connect two parallel tracks allowing trains to switch from one track to another.

"We have planned two crossovers at every section, which is helping us to run trains from the single track. Otherwise, there was no option than terminating trains at JP Nagar station," another official said.

The officials are still studying the best way to replace the track without stopping the service.

"We are treating it as an internal problem that should not affect the commuters. Repairs like replacing a rail require a lot of time. We are trying to find a way to do it without affecting the services," the senior official said.

During weekdays, the BMRCL has a very small window of opportunity for repairs and maintenance as trains start operating at about 4.30 am and end services after 12 pm. Bigger maintenance works are usually reserved for Saturday night as Sunday services begin at 8 am, giving them six to seven hours of time.