Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line, one of the busiest corridors of the national capital’s rapid transit network, was severely disrupted on Friday morning, stranding thousands of commuters during peak office and school hours. Heavy rains across the Delhi-NCR region caused service delays between Vishwavidyalaya and Central Secretariat, leaving passengers frustrated and travel times stretched far beyond normal.
For many office-goers and students, what is usually a few minutes of seamless travel turned into an ordeal lasting close to an hour. At Hauz Khas, one of the most crowded interchange stations, long queues spiralled around ticket counters and platforms as passengers struggled to board delayed trains. Officials from the metro operator confirmed that while services across the larger network remained unaffected, Yellow Line operations were hit due to weather-related disruptions. “Trains are being regulated and services are gradually being restored,” an official stated, adding that restoration teams were deployed swiftly to bring operations back to schedule.
The delays triggered a wave of commuter complaints on social media, with several users sharing screenshots and posts highlighting how short commutes ballooned into hours-long journeys. One passenger recounted how a 25-minute trip between Samaypur Badli and Rajiv Chowk took nearly one hour and 40 minutes. Others reported missing critical work meetings, exams, and appointments due to the disruptions. Transport experts noted that incidents like these underscore the vulnerability of urban transport systems to extreme weather events, which are becoming increasingly frequent with changing climate patterns. They stressed the need for improved resilience measures, including weather-proof signalling systems, emergency preparedness drills, and commuter communication protocols.
At Hauz Khas, where overcrowding became acute during the disruption, safety concerns were also raised. With thousands stranded in narrow passageways, officials had to deploy extra staff to manage crowd flow and ensure passenger safety. Experts emphasised that such choke points in interchange stations highlight the urgent need to redesign commuter facilities to handle stress scenarios more effectively. Despite the inconvenience, many passengers acknowledged that the metro continues to remain the city’s most efficient and eco-friendly mobility option. The disruption, however, served as a reminder of the challenges in maintaining consistent services in a rapidly growing urban centre like Delhi.
By mid-morning, normalcy was gradually being restored across the affected stretch, though delays had already disrupted the workday for thousands. For commuters, the morning chaos was yet another instance of how dependent the city’s daily rhythm has become on the smooth functioning of its metro network.
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