Heavy rainfall exceeding 100 mm and powerful winds wreaked havoc in Bengaluru on Sunday evening, causing significant disruptions to the city’s metro services.
A large tree branch fell on the metro track between Trinity and M.G. Road stations, leading to a suspension of train operations and affecting hundreds of commuters.
Starting from 7:26 p.m., Namma Metro trains were only running between Whitefield (Kadugodi) and Indiranagar, and between Challaghatta and M.G. Road, according to The Hindu.
“This was due to a tree branch falling on the track just after the Trinity station towards M.G. Road,” explained Yashwant Chawan, spokesperson for Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).
Chawan further stated, “The tree was massive, and teams from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Forest Department are working to clear it from the track. Once the tree is removed, we’ll need to assess any damage and make necessary repairs before resuming train services between the two stations, which may not happen until Monday.”
The incident left many passengers stranded at Indiranagar, Trinity, and M.G. Road metro stations, with limited access to alternative transportation due to the heavy downpour. Traffic around Trinity Circle also crawled to a standstill as more parts of the tree obstructed the road.
Among the affected passengers was Sunny Mavani, who was part of a group of 50 to 60 people walking from M.G. Road metro station. “Since the train services are down, we are walking from here to Indiranagar metro station to catch the train and reach our destinations,” he said.
