Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Managing Director Elattuvalapil Sreedharan today resigned after a section of an overhead bridge under construction in New Delhi collapsed before dawn, killing five workers and an engineer, the second such collapse in eight months.
“I have been in charge of the project right from the beginning. I feel for this accident and have to take full moral responsibility,” Sreedharan, who turned 77 today, said at a crowded press conference.
| AUGUST 2007: A crane driver dies after a concrete block falls on him due to a ‘technical failure’ at a construction site in Mayur Vihar in east Delhi |
| JULY 2008: A malfunctioning crane near Ram Manohar Lohia hospital drops a four-tonne iron beam on a passing passenger vehicle |
| OCTOBER 2008: A launcher machine joining prefabricated, heavy concrete structures between two pillars collapses in Laxmi Nagar, killing two and injuring 30 |
| NOVEMBER 2008: A three-year-old is injured when an iron bar from an under-construction pillar falls on her near the Moolchand flyover |
The Delhi government, however, rejected Sreedharan’s resignation. Sources in the Sheila Dikshit-led government said his resignation was rejected because his continuation was necessary for the completion of the Metro projects in time.
Delhi Metro is a showcase infrastructure project for the country. Its first phase opened in 2005 within budget and nearly three years ahead of schedule. The second phase, which boasts a high-speed airport link beneath clogged roads, is on track for when the national capital hosts the Commonwealth Games next year.
A five-member committee comprising experts has been constituted to investigate the collapse of the bridge, which also injured 13, on the Central Secretariat-Badarpur corridor.
Preliminary inquiry showed that the accident had occurred as a pier cap got displaced. Pier caps on top of pillars support both the launcher and the segment. The launcher is used for erecting the segment.
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This is the second incident involving a launcher — the first occurred in Laxmi Nagar in October last year, killing two and injuring 30.
Delhi Metro’s second phase is three times faster than the first. It works with many agencies, but no consultants. The corporation is the consultant and depends on contractors for design.