Metro services in Kolkata faced disruptions on Saturday due to two suicide attempts. The first incident occurred at Kalighat Metro station at 7:20 a.m. when a person jumped in front of a train. Despite emergency brakes being applied, the train could not stop in time. Services were affected for nearly an hour.
At Belgachia station at 3:09 p.m., another suicide attempt caused further disruptions. Trains were halted, and services were truncated between stations. Unfortunately, this attempt resulted in a fatality, leading to a longer delay in restoring normal operations.
The Blue Line of the Metro Railway, where these incidents occurred, is the oldest stretch in the country. Lacking platform screen doors, it is more vulnerable to such incidents. Being a crucial link for daily commuters, any disruptions on this line, especially during monsoons, cause significant inconvenience.
Efforts have been made by the Metro Railway to prevent such incidents, including increased vigilance by staff and reducing train speeds near platforms. Despite these measures, preventing every suicide attempt remains a challenge.
