Driverless Train in Delhi Crashes due to Braking Failure

On December 19, 2017, at 3:40 PM, a driverless Delhi Metro train on the Magenta Line crashed through a boundary wall at the Kalindi Kunj depot during a trial run. The train was part of the new Botanical Garden-Kalkaji Mandir section scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 25, 2017. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) stated that the accident occurred because maintenance staff moved the train from the workshop without testing the brake system. According to standard procedure, when trains enter the workshop for maintenance, brakes are decommissioned for system checks and should be tested before the train leaves the shed. The train was being moved manually to a washing plant on a ramp when it rolled back due to inactive brakes and crashed into the wall. No passengers were on board and no injuries were reported, though two coaches were damaged. The DMRC attributed the incident to human error and negligence, ordering a high-level inquiry by three Executive Director-rank officials. Four officials were subsequently suspended, including a Deputy General Manager, Assistant Manager, Junior Engineer, and Assistant Section Engineer. The 12.64-km Magenta Line section connects nine stations and was designed to reduce travel time between Noida and south Delhi from 52 minutes to 19 minutes.