On August 2, all doors of a Dakshineswar-bound Metro train were stuck at Noapara station, preventing passengers from coming out or getting on the train.
A panel probing the incident has held the driver and the guard responsible, said officials in the carrier. The two have been benched till further orders, they said.
“The committee has ruled out a mechanical problem and found it to be a case of human error. The driver and the guard, both drive trains and are called motormen, have been held responsible for the incident,” said an official.
Another official said the motormen did not follow the routine procedure to operate doors once the train reached Noapara station. “They are supposed to follow the procedure which they did not,” he said.
The two might face a “heavy penalty”, the official said.
On August 2, around 7.30pm, none of the doors of the train opened at Noapara station, preventing passengers from coming out or getting on the train. The doors opened again as the train entered Baranagar station.
A section of passengers had allegedly turned aggressive. Some of them charged at the driver, demanding an explanation. Some posted the altercation on social media.
Metro officials persuaded them to get back on the train, which left for the next — and terminal — station of Dakshineswar. From Dakshineswar, the train changed tracks and left for New Garia.
The passengers who could not get down at Noapara did so on the return journey, over 40 minutes later.
The incident disrupted services during the evening rush hours.
A medical check-up after the incident revealed that the two motormen were not intoxicated, said sources.
“The report has been submitted in a sealed cover. The competent authorities will go through the report and act accordingly,” said Ekalabya Chakraborty, spokesperson for Metro Railway.
While snag-prone doors have for long plagued the city’s transport lifeline, the usual culprit is a single or a handful of doors. But all doors getting stuck at once is rare, said Metro officials.
The train — a Medha rake, built at the Integral Coach Factory near Chennai — underwent a thorough check after the incident.