Two engineers suspended for Noida Metro pillar crack

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Saturday suspended two of its engineers and initiated action against contractors responsible for the crack in one of the pillars of the Noida City Centre Metro station, an official statement said.

The decision came following a report submitted by a high-level committee of the DMRC, comprising three general manager-level officers, who investigated the cause of the crack.

"Based on the findings of the inquiry committee, DMRC's managing director, Mangu Singh has ordered the suspension of two DMRC engineers - a junior engineer and an assistant engineer, now working as executive engineer - with immediate effect," the statement said.

"DMRC will be taking up these engineers' case as per the organisation's disciplinary and appeal procedures," the statement said.

The DMRC said the contractor did not adhere to the design and building material standards approved by it, while the two engineers failed to detect the lapse and allowed further casting of the girder.

"Action against the contractor will be as per the terms of contract, since liability lies with the contractor," the statement said.

Gammon India Ltd and Arch Consultant are the building and designing contractors.

Meanwhile, to avoid such incidents again, Singh ordered that photographic evidence of the design of the structure and material used in the construction should be kept on record.

The repair works of the pillar are ongoing, and expected to last three weeks.

According to DMRC, train operations need not stop during the repair work. There will, however, be restriction in the speed of trains as a precaution. Also, operations will be restricted to one platform.

--Indo-Asian News service

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