HMRL informs it cannot fix technical glitches, commuters to bear the brunt

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) has said that passengers must bear the inconvenience of sudden glitches halting trains at any moment, especially during the monsoon. Metro Rail trains have stopped over 10 times in all three corridors over the past month.

According to highly placed sources, the HMRL was yet to fix the sensitive sophisticated systems which are vulnerable to pollution and prevalent climatic conditions. Sources said that at times, operators were finding it difficult to figure out where a glitch had occurred, stranding thousands commuters.

One of the worst such instances happened on May 26. Hundreds of commuters were stranded all along the LB Nagar-Miyapur corridor after technical issues halted a train. For over an hour, HMRL cancelled several trains and new passengers were turned away from the ticket counters for at least half an hour.

This apart, non-functional ticket vending machines and online ticketing systems have irked passengers who have had to queue up at the ticket windows.

Security lapses were witnessed at various stations as beggars and NGO activists were seen freely entering the concourse at the stations, especially at Hitec City and Raidurg, and asking commuters for money, while marketing executives attempted to sell their wares. Security personnel merely watched them.

Another incident was one which left the city divided: A girl filmed herself dancing at a station, and the video went viral.

Another irksome features is men entering the women’s compartments and getting away without facing any action.

Regarding the technical glitches, a senior HMRC official requesting anonymity told that the systems cannot be fixed currently but all issues are resolved in an hour. Asked about the online and offline ticketing systems failing often, he said that the authorities had upgraded the software of online ticketing and commuters faced trouble during the transition period. About the security lapses, the official refused to comment.

Meanwhile, the HMRL said that passenger numbers have risen from 2.5 lakh to 3.7 lakh commuters per day after the Covid-19 lockdown. Officials informed that patronage has increased as the commuters opted metro to escape the summer heat in summer and in onset monsoon to escape traffic snarls. They said that the metro commuting is affordable and accessible when compared to other public transport systems in Hyderabad.