Akhilesh's flagship Lucknow Metro hits slow lane after mishaps

Two L&T men sacked; project expected to start commercial operations by mid-2017

Lucknow Metro Rail project, one of the flagship projects of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, has hit slow lane after two mishaps within a fortnight this month.

The project, yoked with a tight deadline of completing the high-priority 8.5 km stretch from Lucknow airport to Charbagh railway station before 2017 polls early next year, had hitherto been on a smooth run.

However, the accidents have not only put a question mark on the safety of the civil works already completed, but have also raised questions over the quality of work dispensed by the civil contractor L&T.

Yadav takes keen interest in the project and holds period review meetings to access the progress of work. While, commercial commutation is expected to start only by mid-2017, the trial runs are expected to start in December 2016 itself.

Recently, former chief minister and opposition Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati had said the project was conceptualised under her regime only. This only illustrates the significance of the project and the prestige of claiming the credit for it.

On April 2, an overhead structure holding a heavy concrete mix gave way and fell on a moving car underneath. The car driver had a miraculous escape. The incident was said to have occurred due to a lose bolt.

Further on April 17, two workers were grievously injured when a structure collapsed at the under-construction Alambagh metro station. Two L&T employees including a supervisor were sacked.

Subsequently, Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) Managing Director Kumar Keshav had directed for halting of all the construction activities pending a safety audit of the erected structures. The civil works were halted for 2-3 days and resumed only after the safety audits were completed and verified.

Besides, LMRC has mandated regular work audit by an independent agency as well apart from the separate L&T team stationed for the sole purpose.

"Over a period of time, complacency sets in and one tends to resort to shortages, which could prove dangerous," Keshav had remarked while talking to the media here recently over the accidents.

He said he was quite "unhappy" and that additional manpower would now be provided at the works site to ensure safety.

UP chief secretary Alok Ranjan had also expressed his displeasure and even directed for putting behind bars persons found guilty.

LMRC has now started refresher training programme on 'Safety & Quality' for on site engineers.

The coaches for Lucknow Metro are likely to start arriving from October 2016. The preliminary Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Lucknow Metro had proposed two corridors viz. North-South (construction underway) and East-West corridors measuring 23 km and 11 km and costing about Rs 6,880 crore and Rs 5,494 crore.