Suicide attempt at Netaji Bhavan metro station disrupts service for over 40 minutes

Kolkata Metro’s Blue Line faced a major disruption during the peak evening rush on Friday after a suicide attempt at the Netaji Bhavan station. At approximately 5:17 PM, an unidentified individual jumped onto the tracks just as a Dakshineswar-bound train was entering the platform. The alert motorman managed to apply the emergency brakes, and the person was rescued alive. While the individual is reported to be stable after receiving primary medical treatment, the incident sent shockwaves through the busy station.

Following the attempt, metro authorities immediately suspended services on a significant stretch of the North-South corridor. For nearly 43 minutes, trains were only operational between Dakshineswar and Maidan in the north, and Mahanayak Uttam Kumar to Sahid Khudiram in the south. This created a complete vacuum in service across seven key stations, leaving thousands of office-goers stranded on platforms and inside stationary trains during the prime home-bound hour.

The suspension caused immense hardship for daily commuters who rely on the metro to avoid city traffic. As the underground services halted, a massive surge of passengers was seen spilling onto the roads, leading to heavy congestion on surface transport. Many passengers complained about the lack of clear announcements during the initial minutes of the crisis, which added to the confusion at major transit hubs like Park Street and Esplanade.

Normalcy was finally restored at 6:00 PM after the tracks were cleared and safety protocols were completed. Metro officials confirmed that full-scale operations across the entire Blue Line resumed after a total delay of 43 minutes. While the rescue operation was deemed a success as a life was saved, the incident has once again highlighted the vulnerability of the city’s lifeline to such individual acts of desperation during rush hours.