Title - Airport Metro problems mired in blame game

New Delhi: Problems in the Airport Metro Express have got mired in a blame game with operator Reliance Infrastructure putting the entire onus on Delhi Metro for defects in the civil structure because of which the services had to be suspended.

As a joint inspection team of Delhi Metro, Reliance Infrastructure and Indian Railways gave its findings, the Government today appointed a two-member committee to find and fix responsibility for the defects that have been found in the bearings, the interface between pillar and girder.

"The inspection team has given its findings and it has been discussed at the meeting today. 540 bearings were inspected and faults ranging from minor to major ones have been detected on many of them. Now, we have decided to check all 2,100 bearings on the corridor," Urban Development Secretary Sudhir Krishna told a press conference here.

The Reliance Infrastructure, which operates the line, blamed the Delhi Metro and the contractor saying "these defects were there from day one."

"The nature of the defects are such that the drawings have not been followed in construction itself.
These defects existed from day one," Sumit Banerjee, Head, Infrastructure, Reliance Infrastructure, said.

Delhi Metro Managing Director Mangu Singh, who was also present at the press conference, did not oblige journalists when asked to respond to the complaints from Reliance Infra.

Banerjee insisted more than once that the defects were there from day one, but evaded questions whether the line was inaugurated without a thorough inspection of the civil structure to meet the deadline.

Krishna also gave hints that the August-end deadline set by the government for reopening the corridor may not be met as all bearings have to be inspected.

PTI