New Delhi, Oct 3 (IANS) In yet another accident at Delhi Metro construction sites, two cranes Saturday fell while one was lifting the other. Nobody was injured, authorities said.
According to eyewitnesses, the accident occurred when the bigger crane was lifting the smaller one at the Saket Delhi Metro station site around 12.15 p.m.

“The bigger crane was shifting the smaller crane from one side to the other. But the bigger crane lost balance and its front wheels went up in the air. The crane operator managed to abandon the crane just in time,” said Ramesh Kumar, a resident of the area.

“The crane fell inside the construction site enclosure. Had it fallen on the road touching it, a large number of lives could have been in danger,” he added.

Delhi Metro Railway Corporation (DMRC) spokesman Anuj Dayal said a crane operated by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) overturned at the under-construction Saket Metro station.

“The incident happened when a 50-tonne capacity crane, which was lifting a smaller capacity crane (Hydra), developed a mechanical problem as one of the cylinders used for lifting the boom (lifting arm) of the bigger crane failed,” he said.

“This crane was hired by L&T from Global Hydraulic Sales. It was manufactured in 2006 and certified for fitness for operations. The DMRC chief project manager and other senior officers are supervising the recovery work,” Dayal added.

Around 30 workmen were present at the site when the incident took place.

The Saket station is on the Metro route that will link Connaught Place in the heart of the capital to Gurgaon in neighbouring Haryana. The line is set to open in March 2010.

According to Delhi Fire Services officials, who pressed two rescue vehicles into service, the mishap occurred due to a failure of the hydraulic system of the crane.

“The mishap occurred because the front hydraulic wheels developed a snag. But no one was injured,” said a fire official.

Police said they were also investigating the matter.

On July 12, an elevated Metro track collapsed in south Delhi’s Zamrudpur area killing six people and injuring around 20 workers. A day later, a crash caused by cranes involved in relief operations there injured six people.