Commuters on the Chennai Metro experienced a significant disruption on Tuesday morning when a train stalled inside a tunnel, trapping passengers inside before an emergency evacuation could be carried out.
The train reportedly came to a halt between the High Court Station and the Puratchi Thalaivar Dr M.G. Ramachandran Central Metro Station. Viral visuals shared on social media showed commuters stranded inside the darkened train, suggesting a power failure had occurred.
Metro Rail Confirms ‘Technical Issue’
The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) later issued a statement confirming the incident, attributing the halt to a “technical issue.”
- Location: The train was confirmed to have been halted in the tunnel section between the two major stations.
- Resolution: CMRL stated: “Immediate evacuation was done, and the train was promptly withdrawn from the line. Normal operations have resumed at 06.20 AM.”
Part of a Trend of Metro Glitches
This incident follows a series of recent disruptions reported across major metro networks in India:
- Bengaluru Namma Metro: Just weeks ago, commuters on Bengaluru’s Yellow Line faced short-lived delays during rush hours, primarily impacting office-goers and students.
- Mumbai Metro: Prior to that, a key corridor of the Mumbai Metro’s Line 1 (Versova-Ghatkopar) saw services suspended for over 30 minutes due to a technical snag in one of the trains, according to the Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL).
- Delhi Metro: In August, the Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line also faced disruptions, leading to packed coaches and overflowing platforms.
The event in Chennai serves as the latest reminder of the maintenance and operational challenges facing India’s rapidly expanding metropolitan transit systems.