Re - Delhi Airport Metro to close from Sunday

[Prashant Inamdar]

 

Delhi Airport Metro to close from Sunday - attached two newspaper reports

 

Important to note following two points -

 

1) Elevated section of the alignment a safety hazard

Delhi Airport Metro Express Pvt. Ltd. the Reliance Infrastructure-led consortium that operates the line, claims that running trains on the elevated section of the alignment is a safety hazard. 

Said an official present in the MoUD meeting, "Many bearings supporting the girders on the elevated line seem to have been compromised. The independent report is quite damaging." 

The minutes of the July 2 meeting with UD ministry officials (a copy of which is with TOI) are accompanied by pictures of the "defects" in the elevated viaduct, said sources. 

Sudhir Krishna, secretary (UD), confirmed that the meeting had resulted in the UD ministry ordering an internal inquiry. Said Krishna, "There have been doubts raised about the elevated section by DAMEPL, which DMRC says have been addressed. However, we have asked for a joint inquiry to be conducted by DMRC and DAMEPL with the assistance of Indian Railways." 

 

Pictures shared at the meeting show cracks in bearings, tilted girders, fillings near girders falling out as well as parts of the pier caps missing. 

 

2) Lower ridership

 

The Reliance Infra-led company has been suffering losses as it was not able to reach its intended targets in terms of profit and ridership.  (The Airport Express Metro currently has a ridership of over 15,000 passengers a day)