Thaindian News

New Delhi, July 24 (IANS) A committee probing Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s (DMRC) worst accident July 12, which left six people dead, has held that fault in the design of the metro pillar and the construction material used was responsible for the mishap.
The panel has submitted its report to DMRC managing director E. Sreedharan and the company is likely to take action by next week, officials said.

Structural engineering expert A.K. Nagpal of the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi headed the probe team which looked into design and construction inadequacy of pillar 67.

“I think as is known, material and design deficiency were the two aspects on which we carried out the investigation,” Nagpal told a news channel here.

Asked if the team was faced with any difficulty during the probe, Nagpal said: “The difficult part was time constraint. I think within a short time we had to do many investigations. We are satisfied with what we have finally given.”

A team of four experts including DMRC’s design cell head Rajiv Kataria probed the collapse of an under-construction beam meant to support the elevated rail track connecting central Delhi to Badarpur in the south of the capital.

Although the report was due Wednesday, Kataria was dropped from the team and the report was finally given to the Metro chief Thursday evening.

“The report was received at 7.30 p.m. yesterday (Thursday). Sreedharan has asked a group of directors of DMRC to examine the report after which he will review it himself,” DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal told IANS.

“Based on the findings of the report, action is likely to be taken by DMRC next week,” Dayal added.

While details of the inquiry are still unclear, official sources say that the report has blamed DMRC’s contractor for the under construction metro rail link, Gammon India.

Another official said that strict action is likely against DMRC officials who were involved in projects on the stretch.

Sreedharan meanwhile also called for setting up a full time safety organisation for DMRC’s operation and maintenance wing. The organisation will be in-charge of reviewing of safety procedures being followed in structural maintenance of stations, safety of track, safety of elevated beams of Delhi Metro, safety of running trains and safety of electrical and telecom equipment.