New Delhi, Sept. 1 -- Delhi Metro faced widespread disruptions on Monday after a series of technical snags hit both the Yellow and Blue lines, leading to long delays and overcrowding at several key stations. This marked the third such incident in less than a week, raising concerns among daily commuters about the reliability of the system.
The Yellow Line was the first to be affected when a signalling fault at Millennium City Centre in Gurugram slowed down the reversal of trains, disrupting services between Sultanpur and the Gurugram terminal. Commuters reported cascading delays across the corridor, with trains idling for several minutes at stations including Sultanpur and Udyog Bhawan. Chaos was reported at Sikanderpur, where frequent changes in platform announcements added to the confusion. Videos from the station showed heavy crowding, with passengers struggling to enter packed trains. At one point, a man was seen barely managing to board after being pushed inside by his wife before the doors closed.
By early afternoon, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said the issue on the Yellow Line had been resolved and normal operations restored. However, later in the day, a separate signalling issue struck the Blue Line, between Barakhamba and Indraprastha stations. The fault involved a failure in the automated safety mechanism that regulates train movement, forcing services to run in manual mode at a reduced pace.
The disruptions left major interchange stations, including Rajiv Chowk, Hauz Khas, Kashmere Gate, Yamuna Bank, and Mandi House, severely overcrowded. Commuters described platforms packed so tightly that movement became difficult, with many left waiting for multiple trains before being able to board. Monday's incidents followed a similar glitch on Friday morning, when trains on the Yellow Line between New Delhi and Patel Chowk stations were forced to slow down, severely affecting rush-hour traffic.
The Yellow and Blue lines together carry lakhs of passengers daily, linking Delhi University, central government offices, AIIMS, INA, and Gurugram with the heart of the city. The repeated snags have drawn sharp reactions from commuters, many of whom expressed frustration online, questioning DMRC's preparedness and accountability in handling technical lapses that bring the capital's transport
lifeline to a standstill.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.