Ahmedabad: An empty pilot Metro train developed a fault near GIFT City station early Friday morning, disrupting the first passenger service on the GNLU-GIFT City corridor. A train operator and a train controller have been suspended pending an inquiry.According to Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (GMRCL), the incident occurred around 6am when the train, operated as part of the daily pre-service protocol, developed a fault at the siding near GIFT City station. While GMRCL did not specify the exact nature of the fault, an unconfirmed report claimed it to be a derailment.Passenger services on the GIFT City corridor were scheduled to begin at 7.48am. Due to the incident, the first train heading towards GIFT City was curtailed at PDEU station, one station before the destination, at around 7.40am.Passengers aboard the train were transported from PDEU station to GIFT City by bus, officials said. Services to GIFT City were subsequently restored, with all trains on the corridor, barring the first service, operating as per schedule.GMRCL said services on the East-West, North-South and Motera-Mahatma Mandir corridors continued normally.Rectification work on the pilot train was completed at the site, the corporation said, adding that a three-member committee has been formed to investigate the incident. A train operator and a train controller have been suspended until the inquiry is completed.Under GMRCL’s standard operating procedure, an empty pilot train is run every morning to check operational readiness before passenger services commence.
