Speed restrictions on Delhi Metro's Blue Line causes delay, overcrowding

Speed restrictions were imposed on a section of the Delhi Metro's Blue Line today after maintenance work could not be completed due to heavy rains in the city last night, officials said.

The temporary restriction between Subhash Nagar and Tilak Nagar metro stations caused overcrowding during peak hours and many passengers complained that the frequency on the line was one train every 15 minutes.

The average end-to-end speed of a Delhi Metro train is 35 kmph, but on the Blue Line today it was 15 kmph. Also, frequency of trains during peak hours is two-and-a-half to three minutes.

"Due to some planned periodic maintenance by the track department last night, temporary speed restriction (TSR) of 15 kmph has been imposed on up line between Subhash Nagar and Tilak Nagar stations (going towards Dwarka), which is likely to continue for the day," a Delhi Metro Rail Corporation spokesperson said.

The speed restriction resulted in some delay on the line, he said.

Maintenance of the line would have got completed in the night itself but continuous rain did not provide enough window to complete the work, the official said.

The temporary speed restriction was revised to 30 kmph from 1:30 pm onwards on the up line between the two stations, he said.

The regular speed would be restored by tomorrow, he said.