Claiming that a major Metro mishap was averted on Saturday, several Telugu news channels had reported that the Metro train travelling between Miyapur-LB Nagar got diverted to the wrong track, and could have hit an oncoming train. The channels claimed that the Metro train driver realizing the mistake halted the train just ahead of Assembly Metro station, and passengers had to be evacuated and were made to walk for a few meters.
The incident occurred at around 2.20 pm. The train had around 400 passengers.
However, the Hyderabad Metro officials has denied this and are in turn saying that news channels went ahead with the telecast without seeking clarification from them.
Hyderabad Metro Rail MD, NVS Reddy through a media statement said that the incident occurred near Assembly station, “At 2.30 pm a lightning arrester rod fell on the track near Assembly station due to heavy wind pressure. As a precautionary measure, overhead electrical power was switched off and the fallen rod was removed.”
Reddy said that due to the lightning arrester rod falling, the power supply was affected and as a result the train stopped just a few meters before the Assembly station. “As one passenger was complaining of Asthma, we had evacuated the passengers.”
Metro services were affected for half an hour, due to the incident. “The half an hour disruption was mainly due to safety precautions. The power was immediately restored and the train movement resumed,” the MD said.
The passengers told media that there was a delay of half an hour, and the officials arranged another train for their travel.