Delhi Metro's Magenta line will take commuters from Kalkaji to Botanical Garden.
Just days before Delhi Metro's magenta line is set to be launched next week by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
a metro train crashed through a wall during a test run today. No casualties were reported, but the train went through a wall and barely missed crashing into the ground.
Delhi Metro is the national capital's lifeline. Tens of thousands of commuters rely on the Delhi Metro for their daily commute.
Here are the highlights on the Delhi Metro Magenta Line train crash.
In its official statement about the crash, DMRC did not mention if PM Modi's inauguration of the service, slated for December 25, would go ahead as planned.
In the wake of the Delhi Metro Magenta line train crash, Delhi Transport minister Kailash Gahlot said that there could be no compromise on passenger's safety. "I have sought a report from DMRC on the derailment of its driver-less train during trial run on Kalkaji-botanical Garden. Shocking lapse ! There can be no compromise on passenger safety," he tweeted.
Following the crash, the front portion of the metro train and a stretch of the depot's boundary wall was damaged, a metro official was quoted as saying by the PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently innaugurated Hyderabad metro ahead of White House advisor and US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump's visit to the city.
It is interesting to note that the Botanical Garden
has been developed as the Metro's first-ever inter-change station outside Delhi.Once the entire corridor from Botanical Garden till Janakpuri West (38.23 km) is opened, commuters from Noida will be able to go to Gurgaon by changing trains at Hauz Khas.
Aam Admi Party-led Delhi government has sought a report from the DMRC after the crash.
The train crash is said to have taken place because the train was moved from the workshop without testing the brake system, according to the official statement.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation issued an official statement after the incident and said a high-level inquiry has been ordered.
"As per normal procedure prescribed, 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. The train movement inside the workshop area is done manually and not by the signalling system," the official statement read.
"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."
Officials have said the cause of accident is being investigated, according to news agency IANS.
The crash was reported around 4 p.m. when the driverless metro train hit a wall inside the depot in Kalkaji Metro station, IANS reported citing a Delhi Metro Rail Corporation official.
Delhi Metro's new generation trains that can run without drivers are also set to ply on this section. Movement of trains with a frequency of 90 to 100 seconds will be ensured using the Communication Based Train Control signalling technology. For the two-three years, however, the trains will have drivers.
The 12.64-km section was granted safety approval by the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety last month.
At the time of the crash, the train was empty. It went through a wall at the Kalindi Kunj depot and barely missed crashing into the ground.
The 12.64-km section will reduce travel time between Noida and south Delhi.
PM Modi will inaugurate the Kalkaji Mandir-Botanical Garden stretch of the Magenta line on December 25.