Bengal: Woman survives major scare after approaching metro railway

Kolkata, June 25 (IANS) Metro Railway, Kolkata, has warned passengers against crossing the tracks after a woman survived a major scare at the Masterda Surya Sen Metro station on June 23.

“The woman attempted to move from one platform to the other by crossing the tracks during peak morning hours, when the frequency of trains was at its highest. Fortunately, she was spotted by alert station staff and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel before coming in contact with the electrified third railway,” a Metro Railway official said on Thursday.

Power to the third rail was immediately switched off, and the woman was removed from the tracks. She was then taken to the station master’s cabin and questioned. She was finally let off with a warning.

The incident led to service disruptions as power to the third rails was first switched off and then switched back on after the tracks were vacated. Metro trains draw power from an electrified third rail that runs parallel to the tracks.

The rakes have specialised Third Rail Current Collectors (TRCCs) through which electricity enters the system.

The official said that the third rail carries a very high voltage of 750 Volts DC. If a person comes in contact with it, s/he will get electrocuted, with little chance of survival. Movement of unauthorised people on the tracks is totally prohibited. The official urged passengers not to step down on the tracks from the platforms.

While there have been several suicide attempts in the Kolkata Metro’s Blue Line, the oldest link that has no platform screen doors, this is probably the first occasion when a person has got down on the tracks to cross over to another platform.

To do so, the woman would have to cross two electrified third rails. Even a slight miscalculation could have resulted in disaster. It would also have disrupted services along a long stretch of the network.

While most underground stations in the network have “island” platforms, with tracks running on either side, elevated stations or ground-level stations have dedicated Up and Down platforms. However, there are underpasses connecting these platforms.

The official added that passenger safety is paramount and that passengers should never get down on the tracks. They should use underpasses and safe passenger crossovers while switching platforms in the Metro network.

If a passenger enters the wrong platform, s/he should inform the on-duty staff, who will help them get to the correct platform.

–IANS

jb/dan