GIFT City metro services were restored after an empty pilot train developed a fault near GIFT City station on Friday morning, disrupting the first passenger service on the GNLU-GIFT City corridor and prompting Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (GMRCL) to suspend a train operator and a train controller pending an inquiry.
The incident occurred at about 6am when the train, being operated as part of GMRCL’s daily pre-service protocol, developed a fault at the siding near GIFT City station, according to the corporation. GMRCL did not specify the nature of the fault. An unconfirmed report described the incident as a derailment, but that detail was not confirmed by the corporation.
Passenger services on the corridor were scheduled to begin at 7.48am. The first train heading towards GIFT City was curtailed at PDEU station, one stop before the destination, at about 7.40am. Passengers were transported from PDEU to GIFT City by bus, officials said.
Services to GIFT City were subsequently restored, with all trains on the corridor, except the first service, operating according to schedule. GMRCL said services on the East-West, North-South and Motera-Mahatma Mandir corridors continued normally.
The disruption occurred during the pre-service inspection process, under which an empty pilot train is run every morning to check operational readiness before passenger services begin. The use of a pilot service is intended to identify operational problems before passenger trains enter service, although the incident affected the first scheduled passenger trip on the corridor.
GMRCL said rectification work on the pilot train was completed at the site. It has also formed a three-member committee to investigate the incident. The suspended operator and controller will remain off duty until the inquiry is completed, according to the corporation.
The GNLU-GIFT City corridor connects the Gujarat National Law University area with GIFT City, an important business and institutional district north of Ahmedabad. The early service is relevant to commuters travelling to offices and institutions in the corridor, making the bus transfer necessary after the first train was stopped short of its destination.
The available information does not establish the precise mechanical or operational cause of the fault. The committee’s inquiry is expected to examine the incident and the actions taken during the pre-service run. GMRCL has not announced any broader suspension of services or changes to the corridor’s operating schedule.
