Rush hour throws Metro off track,officials need time

Almost all Metro stations were crowded on Monday. Passengers who were dependent on bus services to reach the heart of the city were seen availing of the Metro.

An official of the Metro rail,meanwhile,admitted that they have identified the problems in the new sections. He said that the frequency of six minutes in train services could not be maintained on Monday during the office hours and as a result passengers had to wait at the platforms for a long time. The official said the services were delayed by two-three minutes.

The Metro railway had 18 rakes which covered 16 kilometers from Tollygunge to Dum Dum. Now Metro rail will have to cover 22 kilometers with the same number of rakes. The official said that the authorities were aware of the technicalities and they were trying to maintain the frequency of trains in peak hours.

Chief Public Relations Officer R N Mahapatra said two new rakes will be added in September. An official said that the number of ticket counters at the four new Metro stations would also be increased soon.

Some passengers,however,alleged the automatic gates were not working at the new stations,while others pointed out that the frequency of trains were not maintained.