NEW DELHI: The Delhi Metro train stopped due to a power failure in the tunnel leading to the underground station. After waiting for 10 minutes without any assistance, the passengers were disembarked through the emergency door. They had to traverse a half-kilometre tunnel to reach safety. There were 150 passengers spread across six bogies.

This incident occurred on the Noida City-Dwarka Sector 21 Blue Line route at 9.30 am yesterday. The Blue Line's underground station features a one-kilometre-long tunnel and the train came to a halt while moving through it. Fortunately, the air conditioning and lights in the bogies were sustained by batteries.

Sebi Mathew, a Malayali media person who happened to be on the train reported a technical fault and initially believed it would be resolved shortly. Passengers were accustomed to occasional power outages, so they patiently waited. However, the delay in restoring the electricity connection prompted a change in the situation. Recognizing that the battery charge would deplete soon, the female train operator acted swiftly earning the passengers' appreciation.

After ten minutes, the train operator made an announcement: ‘We have only 15 minutes of battery power remaining. Please exit through the emergency door. Stay calm.’

Subsequently, all passengers were instructed to move to the front bogie. The emergency door, located near the windshield, was opened allowing everyone to exit onto the track. Inside the tunnel, it was pitch dark due to the power outage. Metro staff illuminated torches and guided the passengers forward. Normalcy was restored within half an hour as the train resumed its operations.