In dramatic rescue op, BMRCL briefly halts service to rescue 4-year-old boy who fell on Bengaluru Metro tracks

A BMRCL spokesperson said, “As soon as the boy fell onto the tracks, the Station Controller activated the Emergency Trip System (ETS). This crucial system halted the power supply to the tracks, preventing any immediate danger to the child from approaching trains.”

The Station Controller then informed the operators of incoming trains to stop their movement, further ensuring the boy’s safety, the spokesperson said. “At the same time, the security guards on platforms 1 and 2 also activated the Emergency Trip Systems, adding another layer of precaution by completely halting the Metro services,” the BMRCL spokesperson said.

Within minutes, the boy was rescued and brought back to the platform. The Station Controller found that the boy had received only minor scratches behind his left ear, the spokesperson said.

The boy and his mother were escorted to the Sir CV Raman Hospital by the Metro guards. The medical staff at the Sir CV Raman Hospital conducted an initial examination and found no abnormalities, the spokesperson said.

“As a precaution, they referred the child to the Victoria Hospital for further evaluation. The detailed scan report at Victoria Hospital confirmed that there are no internal injuries and the boy was subsequently discharged,” the spokesperson added.

The incident disrupted Metro services briefly, but after receiving clearance and ensuring that all safety protocols were in place, train operations resumed at 9.15 pm, a statement issued by the BMRCL said.

The accident puts back focus on the importance of Platform Screen Doors to prevent passengers from falling onto tracks. As of now, the BMRCL has installed platform railings on a trial basis only at the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Station, Majestic. The BMRCL has also proposed to install PSDs at two stations — Majestic and Sir M Visvesvaraya Station, Central College — in view of high footfall at these stations.