Kolkata Metro services were disrupted for more than an hour on Wednesday, August 20, after water seeped onto the tracks between Kalighat and Netaji Bhavan stations on the Blue Line, an official said. The issue, caused by heavy overnight rainfall, led to partial suspension of train movement from around 11:20 am, inconveniencing thousands of daily commuters.
During the disruption, trains were operational only between Dakshineswar and Maidan, and between Mahanayak Uttam Kumar (Tollygunge) and Sahid Khudiram (Birji near Garia) in both up and down directions. Metro staff worked on a war footing to pump out water, and full services resumed after an hour once the stretch was cleared.
This marks the second such incident in two months. In June, water seepage between Esplanade and Chandni Chowk stations had also disrupted services. Commuters said they were forced to switch to buses, app-based cabs, and two-wheelers, with fares surging due to the shortage of public transport.
Metro officials noted that a tender for tunnel maintenance and upkeep has already been floated to prevent such recurrences in the city’s oldest underground corridor.
