For the second time in a week, Metro services were disrupted due to technical glitch. Services between Maidan and Garia Bazar remained affected from 9.50 am to 10.54 on Wednesday.

According to Metro officials, a technical snag in one of the rakes of a Dum Dum-bound train at the Jatin Das Park station resulted in the suspension of the services.

The faulty rake while passing through Jatin Das Park station hit the third line — that supplies power to the underground Metro trains — that led to a crack. The train was immediately stopped at the station and passengers evacuated.

“I was going to Chadni Chowk, when the train suddenly stopped at Jatin Das Park. Metro officials announced that there was some mechanical problem. I immediately rushed out and took a taxi. Metro is a lifeline for many of us and such constant disruptions are not good,” said Sudesna Gupta, a resident of Ballygunge.

Metro authorities, however, made alternative arrangements to operate services between Dum Dum and Maidan stations. After completion of the repair work services were resumed.

It was only last week on October 8 that Metro services had to be suspended for almost three hours following a similar rake problem near Sahid Khudiram station.

Metro railway sources said the repeated disruption of services may be attributed to the overloading of the available rakes. When the new Metro extension from Tollygunge to Garia Bazar was inaugurated many had questioned the availability of rakes.

Metro authorities had said that 13 new rakes were to be inducted by the end of this year. However, with no new rakes coming in as yet, Metro is forced to work with the 16 existing rakes.

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