Click to play videoNew Delhi: One person was killed and at least 9 were injured after a section of under-construction flyover for the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) flyover collapsed in East Delhi's Shakarpur area early on Sunday.
“One died and 9 are injured in the accident. Two have been admitted in LNJP and remaining seven in an MCD hospital in Karkardooma. Both the roads have been blocked after the accident. One way will be opened within two hours from now. And the second will take time to be cleared,” CPRO, DMRC, Anuj Dayal said.
Metro workers were lifting some metal structures and concrete slabs with the help of a crane when a 150-metre-long stretch of the Noida-Indraprastha bridge of the Metro Rail collapsed on a blueline bus that was plying on route number 39, police sources said.
The front part of the bus received the maximum damage and its driver Surinder, 28, died on the spot. The number of passengers could not be immediately confirmed.
"The bus driver died on the spot," Anuj Dayal said.
Several other vehicles were also crushed under the rubble.
"They were loading the track in the morning. Suddenly the two iron support pillars collapsed and the crane fell down," one eyewitness said.
Another added, "Most of the injured are the labours who were working there. The Metro labours are in the hospital now."
Speaking to CNN-IBN, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said that the Delhi Metro has a very good track record and therefore no government enquiry was needed.
“One person has been declared dead. Accidents do happen. I don’t think the Delhi Government needs to set up an enquiry. I hope the DMRC will conduct an enquiry itself, but we'll look into it if the need arises. Rescue operations are on and everyone concerned is on the job”
‘Metro has a very good track record and this is the first time that something like this has happened. It is a very unfortunate incident. I can understand the trauma but that does not mean that the entire system is collapsing," she added.
DMRC admitted that the accident was caused by an unidentified technical failure.
“It is very unfortunate. Metro construction is a continuous process it can't halt because of this incident. The accident looks very bad for the Delhi. We will look into the technical failure that caused it. We try all the time to make sure that such a thing does not happen,” DMRC Director, Vijay Anand, told CN-IBN.
DMRC has announced a relief package of Rs 5 lakh for the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured, Delhi Government Finance Minister A K Walia said.
Local residents woke up to a loud sound at about 6.30 am and found that a 150-metre-long cross-section of the flyover had given way.
Delhi Police have cordoned off the area and called in metal cutters to clear the debris and free trapped people.
A heavy-duty crane was brought in to take away the yellow pre-fabricated launch pad that props the girders.
Delhi Mayor Arti Mehra expressed her dissatisfaction with the rescue operations.
“It took 45 minutes for the authorities to get there. It should have been quicker. When all the infrastructure is there why did the help not reach quicker?” she said talking to CNN-IBN.
Shakarpur is a busy and congested area but it being a Sunday morning, the traffic was not at its peak.
Delhi Metro helpline number: 011-22191736
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