New Delhi: 83 suicides at Metro stations in last 4 years, reveals RTI query

The data also revealed that Subhash Nagar and Janakpuri West Metro stations, both located on the Blue Line, saw the maximum number of suicides — with four persons killing themselves at each station since 2014. The stations at Chattarpur, Tilak Nagar and Kashmere Gate saw three suicides each.

According to the RTI, in 2014, a total of nine suicides took place, which shot up to 24 in 2015. The suicide numbers dropped to 15 in 2016 and 19 in 2017. In the current year till October, a total of 16 persons have committed suicide so far.

Officials of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which has been tasked with the security of all Metro stations, said their personnel are trained to identify persons with distress.

“Right now, CCTV operators tip-off the ground-level staff when they notice people with signs of distress. The CISF officers are trained in analysing gait and facial expressions as a part of their security training. This is used to identify people with distress and we have also managed to prevent suicides,” said a CISF spokesperson.

The Delhi Metro had also introduced platform screen doors (PSD) for better crowd management and to make sure no untoward incident, such as commuters gaining access to the train tracks, takes place. As of now, there are six PSDs at Metro stations, apart from a PSD at every station on the Airport Express.

As per the RTI, only one suicide took place at the New Delhi station of the Airport Express in the time period.

The Metro’s Yellow Line saw 24 suicides in the last four years; the Red Line witnessed 17; the Violet Line seven; while the Green Line saw three people kill themselves.