Thaindian News

New Delhi, July 14 (IANS) Four of the injured, one of them in a critical condition, were still in hospital Tuesday as cleanup operations continued at the spot in south Delhi where a section of an under-construction Metro rail track had collapsed two days ago, killing six people, followed by another shocking accident a day later.
The entire area in Zamrudpur in south Delhi has been sealed off, with even journalists barred from entering the danger zone. A large number of policemen were busy keeping away curious onlookers from impeding the clean-up work. They also diverted traffic to a nearby busy road.

The second accident had followed Monday while cranes were being used to clear the mess caused by Sunday’s disaster. All the three broken and toppled cranes were still in place Tuesday morning, with DMRC figuring out ways to remove them. One monster crane, with 16 wheels, had fallen horizontally on its head.

About 80-100 DMRC engineers and executives were huddled in discussions and examining the accident site. Some of them have been engaged in the clean-up operations since Sunday evening.

None of them spoke to the media Tuesday.

The road connecting the Moolchand Hospital to the Nehru Place commercial district two kilometres away is now open only one way.

A part of the route has been blocked for reasons of safety and to enable the Delhi Metro Rail Corp (DMRC) to remove the debris that fell on the road and a row of shops selling garden accessories.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said four of the 15 workers injured Sunday - when a half built elevated Metro rail track suddenly collapsed, bringing down tonnes of steel and concrete on scores of unsuspecting workers - were still in hospital.

Six men, all workers, were killed in the horrific accident, the worst for Delhi Metro. More trouble followed Monday when four giant cranes deployed to lift a massive steel girder that had tilted dangerously a day earlier also gave away, causing another accident that injured five more workers in a panic stampede.

All those injured Monday have been discharged from hospital. But four of the men who suffered serious injuries Sunday were still in the Trauma Centre of AIIMS, doctors said.

One of them, Amar Singh, was operated upon for internal bleeding in the head, Amit Gupta, assistant professor (surgery), told IANS. His condition is said to be critical.

The Sunday disaster burst underground water pipes and snapped electricity lines, affecting their supply in adjoining residential colonies.

“There has been no electricity and no water since Sunday,” said Manu Singh, a resident of Zamrudpur village, which is located next to the crash site.

The shops in front of the collapsed elevated metro track remained closed. Three shops had been crushed by the falling masonry.

The landmark Lady Shri Ram College across the road has shut its main gate for safety reasons. “The main gate will remain closed for another week. Till then students have been asked to use the back gate,” said a watchman.

DMRC chief E. Sreedharan, who resigned Sunday owning moral responsibility for the deaths but was asked by the government to stay on, visited the accident site Tuesday morning.

-Indo-Asian News Service

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