A power disruption on Pune Metro’s line 1 Sunday afternoon not only brought train services to a temporary halt but also triggered panic among commuters at the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) end, raising concerns over crowd management and passenger safety during sudden operational disruptions.Pune Metro services on Line 1 were disrupted on Sunday afternoon after an external factor affected the main traction power supply. (HT File)External factor disrupts traction, station powerThe disruption began at around 12.25 pm after the main traction power supply to line 1 was affected due to an external factor, according to Pune Metro officials. The interruption affected the receiving substations (RSSs) at PCMC and Range Hills (RHL), resulting in a temporary loss of both traction and station power.The 25 kV overhead equipment (OHE) supply, which powers Metro trains, was disrupted along with the 33 kV station supply used for essential station facilities such as lighting, escalators and other electrical systems.Also read: Pune Metro double-decker flyover designs finalised for Karve Statue, Ambedkar ChowkEight trains held at platforms as precautionWith the traction supply unavailable, eight trains operating on the corridor were made to stop at platforms as a precautionary measure. The decision was aimed at preventing trains from being stranded between stations while the electrical fault was being addressed.However, the disruption also created difficulties for commuters inside and around stations. According to passenger Shekhar P, who was at the PCMC end when the disruption took place, it caused confusion and a rush among passengers. Later sharing his experience on social media, Shekhar wrote, “Everyone suddenly rushed towards the escalators. Some people fell, and one person’s foot got stuck. There were screams, people running around and complete chaos. The security guards and Metro staff kept asking passengers not to panic, board calmly, and avoid overcrowding the lifts, but no one seemed to listen. A major accident was narrowly avoided”. It was a Sunday and there was a crowd ahead of Ganeshotsav. “The panic and rush could have easily led to a serious accident. Commuters need to behave more responsibly,” Shekhar said. He expressed gratitude towards the security guards and Metro personnel who did their best to manage the crowd.Also read: Over 19 km of last-mile links planned around metro stationsMetro restores traction power within 22 minutesSoon after the disruption was detected, Metro officials initiated restoration measures. At 12.47pm, the 25 kV OHE supply for line 1 was restored through the Vanaz (VNZ) substation. Following the restoration of traction power, the eight trains that had been held at the platforms were allowed to resume their journeys safely.The restoration of station power took longer. The 33 kV supply for station facilities was restored from the Vanaz substation at 1.06pm, allowing electrical systems at the stations to return to normal.The main incoming power supply to the Range Hills substation, provided by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), was fully restored at around 1.50pm; officials said.Also read: Infra failed to keep pace with urbanisation in Pune: FadnavisIncident raises questions over crowd managementThe Pune Metro administration apologised to passengers for the inconvenience caused by the disruption. Officials said services were subsequently restored and line 1 resumed operating normally and safely.As regards the Pune Metro preparedness, Sunday’s episode demonstrates how a relatively short technical disruption can create a secondary safety challenge if a large crowd begins to panic. For commuters, the incident is a reminder that rushing towards escalators, lifts or exits during an emergency can increase rather than reduce the risk. At the same time, consistent announcements, visible deployment of security personnel and clearly defined crowd-control procedures are crucial to ensuring that passengers know where to go and what to do when normal Metro operations are interrupted.