Kolkata’s metro service faced major disruption on Friday when a man attempted suicide by jumping onto the metro tracks at Shobhabazar-Sutanuti station. The incident occurred around 12:45 pm, causing authorities to halt services along the Blue Line, which operates from Dakshineswar to Kavi Subhash. To rescue the individual, metro officials had to disconnect the power supply, leading to a temporary shutdown of the metro route between Dum Dum and Central stations. This left commuters stranded and led to significant inconvenience as many passengers had to seek alternate transportation.
Attempted Suicide on Sovabazar Metro Tracks Disrupts Kolkata’s Blue Line Service
Currently, metro services are operational only in segments: from Dum Dum to Dakshineswar in the north and Kavi Subhash to Central in the south. The central section remains suspended, with no confirmation on when the full service will resume.
This incident is not an isolated one; there have been multiple suicide attempts on the metro tracks in recent weeks. On October 14, another suicide attempt disrupted metro services at Shobhabazar station for over 30 minutes. A similar event at Chandni Chowk station on October 23 again caused delays. The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation has recently installed protective guardrails on the down platform at Kalighat station to prevent such incidents. However, regular commuters argue that the spacing between the rails is insufficient to effectively prevent suicide attempts.
Metro authorities have been under pressure to enhance safety measures to avoid further disruptions and protect lives. The incidents underscore the urgent need for preventive measures across all metro stations in Kolkata to improve passenger safety and ensure uninterrupted service.