Tech snag hits Blue Line ops for 20 mins

Kolkata: Metro services were disrupted along the North-South (Blue) Line on Saturday afternoon after a Dakshineswar-bound train developed a snag, following which passengers were asked to disembark at Kalighat station.The train stopped at Kalighat station around 12.50 pm. Passengers waited for it to resume its journey. Around 10 minutes later, they were asked to get off and told that the rake developed glitches and would not be running. A while later they were asked to board another Dakshineswar-bound train."Due to brake binding, the train was briefly halted for check-up. It was sent to the shed. Passengers boarded another train. Up services (Shahid Khudiram-bound) were normal. Normal services along the entire Blue Line resumed at 1.10 pm," a Metro Railway spokesperson said.He explained, "Brake binding occurs when brake pads or shoes of the rake continue to remain in contact with the wheel or drum even after the motorman releases the brake pedal." The official said the rake has been taken off the fleet for now.Even as services resumed at 1.10pm, the impact of the disruption continued for some time. Sasanka Bose, a commuter from Baranagar and headed for Esplanade, said, "The 1.40pm train was cancelled, so was the one at 1.48pm. Finally, I got a train which left Baranagar at 1.52pm."