Kite stuck on power line disrupts Dhaka Metro Rail service

Dhaka metro rail service has been halted partially as a kite reportedly got stuck with one of its electric poles. 

"Before starting our service this morning, we noticed that a kite had got tangled with an electric pole of one of the two lines of Dhaka metro rail," said Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL) Director (Operation & Maintenance) Nasir Uddin Ahmed.

"Due to passenger pressure, we decided to continue our operation with one line while the technical team is working to fix the issue, Nasir Uddin told The Business Standard, adding that the service will resume in full swing shortly.

Since only one way is operational, passengers, especially officegoers and students, were seen waiting in line for over thirty minutes.

After 9.20am on Monday, the entry gate to the platform and ticket sales were closed to people at Pallabi station. 

It took 45 minutes for the first train to arrive at Mirpur station from Uttara station. 

A similar incident disrupted the Dhaka metro rail service for two hours on 1 January after a sky lantern released for the new year celebration fell on its electric lines after they stopped burning.

Earlier, the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB), as well as the State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, called on everyone to refrain from flying kites around the power lines, substations and towers.

According to a PGCB statement, "Kites of different sizes, big and small, often get stuck in the high voltage power towers and wires while flying or tearing the yarn. If stuck in 400 kV, 230 kV and 132 kV transmission lines spread across different parts of the country, the kites and yarn can cause power outages due to wet short circuit in storms. In addition, if the yarn is in contact with the electric wire while it is wet and the yarn is lying in the populated area, there is a danger of unintended loss of life and property due to electrification."