28 July,2009 07:41 AM IST | | Surender Sharma
Is DMRC feeding Media data about metro rail mishaps across the world to counter negative publicity?
What if a few Metro pillars have crashed in Delhi? It happens all over the world! That's what the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) seems to be hinting at.
Unable to hide the cracks in its pillars and reputation, DMRC is reportedly trying to generate a positive buzz in the city by leaking to the media data about how accidents are common in similar projects all over the world.
On Monday morning too, as soon as news about fresh cracks detected in a pillar in the Noida line became public, Delhi journalists received an email from Metro Bhawan informing them about a mishap at Seoul metro in South Korea, in which five people had been killed. The email pointed out how a launching girder had crashed in Seoul last week.
"Not only in Delhi, but these accidents occur everywhere," said another DMRC official, wishing anonymity.
Allegedly, a similar media-management effort was made on July 22, when a labourer was killed during an accident at the Punjabi Bagh line.u00a0 Even DMRC Managing Director E Sreedharan, while addressing the media, had said, "The DMRC's accident rate is still very low as compared to international standards.
Singapore has 1.1 accidents per million man-hours, London Underground has 0.32 accidents and Delhi Metro Phase-II has had 0.4 accidents. Some major international metro rail accidents include the one at Heathrow high-speed line in United Kingdom where 21 people died and the mishap in Singapore where about eight people were killed when a railway tunnel collapsed."
However, what experts point out, is that these lines have been functional since decades and accidents are very rare. "Sreedharan probably forgot these metros have been running for years. The Delhi project can't be compared to them," said the DMRC official.
Even victims of Delhi Metro accidents are angry with the DMRC's callous attitude. "Accidents are not so regular at metro projects in other countries. We hear of cracks and crashes at Delhi Metro sites almost every day.
But what hurts most is that the DMRC treats its victims like dogs. My car was damaged in the accident that happened at Zamrudpur in south Delhi on July 12. But the DMRC has termed me a blackmailer because I complained. Someone is shielding the guilty contractors. Otherwise, why are they not being severely penalised for these accidents? This should be investigated," said Shashidharan, a victim.
However, despite several attempts, DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal could not be contacted for comments.
Design defects
The report of the AK Nagpal Committee, investigating the Zamrudpur Metro accident of July 12 in which six people were killed, was placed before the board of directors of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on Monday.
Though the findings will be made public on Tuesday when DMRC chief E Sreedharan addresses the media, according to insiders, the report says the accident occurred due to a design fault in pillar number 67.
The course of action to be taken against the accused contractor, Gammon India and other officials is expected to be announced on Tuesday as well.
Meanwhile, the DMRC in a statement said a special drive has been launched to re-check all cantilever piers of Phase-II and as part of this exercise, M/s Shirish Patel and Associates have been appointed to conduct a structural audit.
"They found hairline cracks on eight piers of the Central Secretariat Gurgaon corridor, two piers of the Noida corridor and eight piers of the Central Secretariat-Badarpur corridor. All appear to be minor in nature. However, the design of these pillars will be re-checked," the statement said.
