India | Updated Jul 13, 2009 at 08:10pm IST

Sreedharan to withdraw resignation: DMRC

CNN-IBN

New Delhi: Metro chief E Sreedharan has decided to withdraw his resignation, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation PRO Anuj Dayal said on Monday in a packed press conference.

Dayal also explained what led to the second accident at the Delhi Metro site. "Four heavy-duty cranes had been put to use. One of the high-capacity cranes developed a mechanical failure and so the weight got transferred to the other three. This led to the booms snapping and the cranes toppling over each other."

The DMRC also confirmed that six persons received minor injuries but were immediately "rushed to the hospital and are now safe."

Meanwhile, stressing that there will be no compromise on safety issues during Delhi Metro construction, the Government on Monday said "all precautions" will be taken to prevent accidents.

"We will never compromise on safety aspects. We will see to it that all precautions are taken to prevent recurrence of such events," Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy said.

The second accident in 24 hours at a DMRC location took place when hundreds of workers and engineers were gathered at the site of the earlier accident overseeing the efforts to remove tonnes of debris.

Suddenly, one after another, three cranes collapsed amid a deafening roar, apparently unable to bear the weight of the launching girder, triggering a panic run in Zamrudpur area in south Delhi.

One of the cranes, a 16-wheeled vehicle, fell on a row of shops.

Earlier on Sunday, at around 0500 hrs IST a Delhi Metro bridge collapsed at the same site killing six and injuring 11 people.

Taking up the issue in the Lok Sabha, Reddy called the accidents “unfortunate” and said that there won't be any compromise on the Delhi Metro project in view of the Commonwealth Games 2010.

After the Sunday accident, a panel was set up to probe the matter. The panel constitutes of Professor Nagal from IIT, Professor BR Bose from Delhi College of Engineering (DCE), Steve Lorie and Rajen Katharia from DMRC.

Reddy said that the panel will summit its report in another 10 days.

"The report will be submitted in another 10 days most likely by July 22. Any accident is unfortunate, however we must look at the past records of DMRC in accidents," Reddy said.

"The committee will go into the method of constructions and precautions taken and will summit its report," Reddy added.

He said that the Central Secretariat to Badarpur section will be opened as per schedule in September 2010.

The Minister also hastened to add that the “accident didn't happen due to the fast completion of the project. If found responsible, action will be taken against Gammon India.”

Regarding the Delhi government's decision not to accept the resignation of Metro chief E Sreedharan, he said that Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had consulted him on the issue.

"Now that his resignation has not been accepted, I believe the matter will eventually rest there," he said.

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