Kite-flying on Jamghat disrupts metro services in Lucknow

The impromptu kite matches on the occasion of Jamghat lit up Lucknow's sky but the flying also cause major inconvenience to Lucknow metro services, which got disrupted at least five times in a day. Following the incident, UPMRC(Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation) issued a statement that said, "A number of cases of kite flying near the Lucknow metro corridor are taking place, causing damage to the metro property and disrupting train services. Train services got disrupted several times on Monday, but the services were resumed immediately."

Jamghat vs Lucknow Metro

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This year's Jamghat brought troubles to the Lucknow Metro and its services which were interrupted to prevent fatal accidents of multiple cases of electrocution in the city. Kite flying near the metro corridor not only disrupts train services due to entangling of the kite thread with the Over Head Electrification (OHE) but can also prove fatal for the kite flier who is under high risk of getting electrocuted if the 'manjha' (thread) has any metal element on it and comes in contact with OHE of the Lucknow metro which runs with a high current of 25,000-volt.

In the past also, incidents of OHE tripping have lead to the disruption of the metro services and the investigations revealed entangled metal threads with the OHE. A UPMRC spokesman informed the media, "These types of incidents near the operational metro corridors are very dangerous as it may cause electrocution to the kite flyer because of the very high voltage running in the OHE. The live electricity can directly flow through these metallic strings into the body of the kite flyers resulting in casualty".

Chinese copper manjha banned!

As per the guidelines of the Central government, the use of Chinese manjha (thread prepared by using copper wire) is prohibited and banned. Many accidents have occurred due to its usage previously and even during the lockdown period, two policemen in Lucknow were seriously injured by these strings. Owing to incident, UPMRC has appealed to Lucknowites to take this matter seriously and not fly kites near the operational metro corridor.

The organisation is working actively to safeguard the public safety and convenience along with the prevention of loss to metro property. Besides conducting regular awareness drives about not flying kites near the metro corridor, the UPMRC has also urged the kite sellers to be aware and to educate the buyers too, about the same.

-With inputs from IANS