Chennai Metro Plunges Into Darkness, Forcing Evacuation

New Delhi, December 3, 2025: A routine early-morning commute was abruptly transformed into a frightening ordeal after a Chennai Metro Rail (CMRL) train suddenly halted and its power failed inside a tunnel, triggering immediate emergency procedures. The distressing video footage, which captured passengers waiting in the dark and later walking along the tracks, went massively viral, sparking public safety concerns.

Train Stalls Between Stations

The incident occurred early on a Tuesday morning on the Blue Line, connecting Chennai Airport with Wimco Nagar. The train reportedly came to an abrupt stop while traveling through the underground tunnel section between the Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Metro Station and the High Court Station. Around 20 to 25 passengers were left stranded within the confined space.

It was reported that the lighting inside the coach went out immediately upon the train’s stopping, plunging the commuters into darkness and causing a brief period of panic. Videos shared online showed passengers relying on mobile phone flashlights and holding onto handrails while they waited for information from the control room.

Also Read: Arshdeep Singh’s Hilarious ‘Reveal’ of Rohit Sharma’s Century

Dual Battery Failure Identified

The cause of the unexpected disruption was officially confirmed by CMRL as a technical issue, later specified as a rare instance of dual battery failure. It was explained that the control units of the trains are powered by two battery systems, one of which is intended to serve as a backup should the primary one fail. In this case, both power sources reportedly failed to engage, leading to the complete shutdown of the control units and the subsequent halt of the train midway. This type of simultaneous failure was stated by officials to be a highly unusual occurrence.

Evacuation Carried Out Through Tunnel

With the train unable to be moved, emergency procedures were swiftly initiated. Passengers were informed via an announcement that an immediate evacuation would be necessary. They were then assisted by Metro staff to safely exit the train and were guided to walk through the tunnel along the emergency walkway beside the tracks.

The commuters, who were forced to cover approximately 500 meters in the dimly lit subway, were received by station managers at the High Court Metro Station. CMRL later confirmed that the affected train was promptly withdrawn from the operational line for further inspection and repairs at the Koyambedu yard, and normal train services were fully restored by 6:20 AM. The authority issued a public statement expressing regret for the inconvenience caused.