Railway board team to probe Kolkata Metro derailment

A three-member railway board probe team today began investigating the derailment of two coaches of a metro rake which was taken to Noapara car-shed for examination by an expert body.

Nearly 2,800 passengers were trapped inside the tunnel for about an hour as the two coaches jumped the rail near Central station yesterday.

Metro rail sources said additional members of electrical, planning, and tourism and catering sections arrived here from Delhi during the day and left for the Noapara car shed to look at the affected coaches.

Metro Railway general manager Amar Nath also left for Noapara car shed to meet the probe team.

The team arrived after railway minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a probe into the incident. She, however, has not ruled out sabotage in the derailment.

A source said the inquiry team would visit Central station later.

The West Bengal government, official sources said, would hold a meeting with the metro rail authorities.

Metro rail sources, however, said there was no communication from the state government as yet.

Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee expressed concern at the incident and said he had received a report from city police commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakraborty.