Title - Power failure in 7 states, affects Metro train services in Delhi

Seven states in north India are facing power cut since 1 am after breakdown in northern grid. As a result of the major power crisis Delhi Metro train services was hit but later resumed partially.  Emergency power service is being provided to VVIP areas in Delhi. The states

affected are Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, UP, Himachal and Rajasthan. "Yes there are problems with Northern Grid, we are trying to restore it", said SK Soonee, CEO of Power System Operating Co (PSOC). PSOC manages the Northern Power Grid. Officials sources said while the exact reasons for the grid failure are being ascertained, over drawl of power by states could have led to the problem.

The restoration of the grid may take a few more hours even as the engineers are trying to restore it since early morning.

Power supply in some pockets is being restored and the first priority is for public services like hospitals and transport.

"We are hoping to restore the grid in the next one or two hours. We are giving essential loads for services like Railways, Metro and Hospitals," Chairman and Managing Director of Power Grid Corporation AM Nayak said.

 Services on all six lines of Delhi Metro were affected on Monday due to a major failure in the Northern Grid that supplies power to the modern transport system.

No trains were available on any of the six lines on the network from 6:00 am, when the metro network resumes services after a few hours of break.

A Metro spokesman said the services would be fully restored only after the power supply resumes. While 25 % of the services have been restored but services were largely affected.

The delay in services will affect lakhs of commuters who depend on the metro.

Delhi Metro carries more than 18 lakh people a day.