Lucknow Metro bans media entry inside Metro premises

LUCKNOW: In a desperate attempt to save their face after back to back technical glitches on the first day of its public launch, Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) suddenly prohibited the entry of media inside Metro premises post 11:15 am.
The LMRC spokesperson said that due to unavoidable circumstances, they had to bar the entry of media hinting at the snags in the morning shift. Notably, LMRC had earlier kept slots for media coverage in the morning and evening shifts.The morning shift was allowed till 12 pm but the photographers were stopped at the gates itself citing reasons that cameras cannot be taken inside the metro gates.
The bigger shock came when LMRC had to suddenly call off its first formal interaction with the Lucknow press scheduled on September 6. It released a statement saying the meeting has been postponed for inadvertent reasons.
Reportedly the Lucknow Metro experienced two big technical glitches on the day of public run when trains got stranded on the track for half an hour to 2 hours in the morning shift.
Five hours after the commencement of trains, LMRC has yet to give an official statement as to why the trains stopped all of a sudden despite six months of regular testing, supervision and delay in approval by commissioner, Metro railway safety. While LMRC is still hiding the actual cause, passengers are left to suffer inside stranded tight packed coaches without water and air conditioner.
Police cane-charged Samajwadi Party workers protesting at the Transportnagar Metro station.
Later, another Metro train was stranded at the Durgapuri Metro Station, third since morning.