Bengaluru Metro incident: 4 year old boy jumps onto track at Byappanahalli station, rescued safely

Representational picture.

Tension prevailed at Bengaluru's Byappanahalli Metro station on August 1 after a four-year-old boy jumped onto the track.

The incident occurred between 9:08pm and 9:16pm.

Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) sources told Moneycontrol that the child was playing with his sibling on Platform 2 at the station. Despite his mother's efforts to catch him, the child accidentally fell onto the track at around 9:08 pm.

Also, read: Bengaluru: Teen jumps before Metro train, dies; services disrupted

Following the incident, the Emergency Trip System (ETS) was activated by the station controller in the station control room, who also informed the approaching train operators to stop the train. Meanwhile, ETS was also activated by security guards on both Platforms 1 and 2. ETS suspends traction power supply in the adjacent track. Bengaluru Metro uses third rail to supply electricity to trains through an additional rail next to the track.

Parents of the child immediately swung themselves on the track, rescuing the boy with the help of passengers.

There were no major injuries."The child was active after the incident and had only minor scratches behind his left ear. But we took him to Sir C V Raman General Hospital in Indira Nagar, escorted by a Metro security guard. The doctor found no abnormalities and directed him to Victoria Hospital. The scan report also did not show any abnormalities, and he was discharged" an official said.

"The frequency of train service during the incident was 10 minutes, so the incident did not disrupt train operations. At 9:16 pm, clearance was given to the Operations Control Centre (OCC) to charge the third rail, which supplies DC power to trains," the official added.

Byappanahalli station is part of the Challaghatta-Whitefield corridor (Purple Line) corridor.

Currently, none of the stations in Bengaluru have platform screen doors (PSDs). However, two existing underground Metro stations in Bengaluru will soon have PSDs installed. BMRC said PSDs will be added at Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Station (Majestic) and Sir M Visvesvaraya Station (Central College). Infosys Foundation is also planning to install platform screen doors at Konappana Agrahara station.

Also, read: In a first, Bengaluru Metro to install platform screen doors at two existing stations

PSDs, which act as protective barriers between the platform and the tracks, play a crucial role in preventing incidents such as accidental falls and suicides. They are synchronised with Metro coach doors, opening only after the train has come to a complete stop. Metro systems in Delhi and Chennai have already implemented PSDs, particularly at underground stations.

BMRCL officials said PSDs will be installed at 12 underground stations along the Pink Line (Kalena Agrahara-Nagawara) as part of Phase 2, which is also aimed at reducing air conditioning costs. Meanwhile, Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited, responsible for the Bengaluru suburban rail project, has decided to install PSDs/platform edge doors at all stations from the beginning.

Also, read: Bengaluru Metro's new stations to get platform screen doors; Alstom lowest bidder