Metro bridge collapse kills five; Sreedharan quits

New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) Five persons were killed and 15
others injured when an under-construction bridge of the Delhi
Metro collapsed here Sunday, prompting its chief E Sreedharan
to resign taking moral responsibility for the worst mishap
involving the modern transport system.

The accident took place at around 5 am when a pillar of
the bridge gave in during some construction work near Lady
Sriram College in South Delhi's Lajpat Nagar.

Four labourers and a 28-year-old engineer of Gammon
India, the contractor of the project, were killed in the
mishap, the second such incident in nine months.

DMRC (Delhi Metro Railway Corporation) set up a
four-member committee to examine reasons for the accident and
it would submit its report in 10 days.

Describing the accident as "more serious" than the one
that happened in Laxmi Nagar last year, Sreedharan announced
his resignation, taking "full moral responsibility" for it.

"As the head of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, I take
moral responsibility for the incident...So I have decided to
resign and I have put in papers and I have sent it to Lt
Governor Tejinder Khanna and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila
Dikshit," said the 77-year-old Sreedharan, who has been the
DMRC Managing Director since its inception 12 years ago.

He, however, said there will be no impact on the DMRC
projects to be completed before Commonwealth Games next year.

Delhi government, however, said it will not take any
"hasty decision" and will consider "what is good for the
city".

"I have to take the responsibility. It may not be my
mistake, but as the head of the organisation I have to take
moral responsibility and I think it is right to resign,"
Sreedharan told a press conference after visiting the site.

"Even one casualty is too many for DMRC and this incident
has claimed five lives and I have taken this decision," said
the renowned technocrat whose name has become synonymous with
the Delhi Metro.

Comparing the mishap with the one that occurred in East
Delhi's Laxmi Nagar last October, Sreedharan said "Sunday is
still a bigger jolt because this accident is more serious".

Asked whether his decision will delay the Metro projects
which are scheduled to be completed before the Commonwealth
Games, he said, "the views you are making may be correct but
my personal conviction in this matter cannot be compromised."

He, however, added that "There are a lot of competent
people. No one is indispensable in any organisation and I am
sure that DMRC will be able to complete all the projects well
before time."

On Sreedharan's resignation, spokesman for the Lt
Governor's office said "the decision will have to be taken at
a political level." The DMRC is under the Urban Development
Ministry and the L-G alone will not take a decision, he said.

"We are not going to take any hasty decision on the
resignation of Sreedharan," P K Tripathi, Principal Secretary
to the Chief Minister, told PTI.

Sreedharan had earlier offered to be relieved saying he
was old.

The Delhi Metro attributed the accident to a "problem in
the design" of the pillar. "We were trying to rectify it.
There was a defect in the peer cap which caused the
displacement," Delhi Metro spokesperson Anuj Dayal said.

The accident also caused flooding in the area as the
pillar fell on a water pipeline making it burst. Traffic was
also diverted while power supply has also been disconnected to
carry out rescue operations.

The accident also saw some of the labourers and locals
alleging that they had informed authorities about the
instability of the structure.

A labourer said there were people working around at the
spot at the time of incident. "Some problem was there with the
support system and it could not handle the load leading to the
collapse," he said.

Kuldeep, another local, alleged they have seen two cracks
on the pillars earlier and had informed authorities about it
but no action was taken.

However, Sreedharan said Delhi Metro had not received any
complaints in this regard.

Delhi Police registered a case under Section 304-A
(causing death due to negligence) of Indian of Penal Code. "A
case has been registered. No names have been mentioned in the
FIR," a senior police officer said.

Dikshit said the DMRC will pay Rs five lakh to the kin
of those killed in the accident, besides giving Rs two lakh
for those grievously injured.

On the action against those responsible for the mishap,
Dikshit said it was upto the Delhi Metro "to take whatever
action they can because they have such a fine reputation they
would not like to ruin. I am sure they will take action."

The four-member committee, which would examine reasons
for the accident, include Prof A K Nagpal (Civil Engg,
IIT-Delhi), Prof B R Bose (Structural Engg of DCE), Steven
Lowry (Project Director of General Consultants for DMRC) and
Rajan Kataria (Head of Design DMRC).

A public helpline was set up to provide necessary
information related to the mishap. PTI SJY
JVN
NNNN





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