IRJMSH Vol 7 Issue 7 [Year 2016] ISSN 2277 – 9809 (0nline) 2348–9359 (Print)

Analysis of factors Zamrudpur pillar collapse – A study of Delhi Metro

infrastructure
Authors

IshaKumari Dr.Rajat Praveen Dimri

Research Scholar Assistant Professor
NIU ( Noida International University) Swami Rama Himalayan University, Jolly
Grant
Email ID - isha26kr@gmail.com
Email ID - rajatd1@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This paper is aimed to investigate on major accident for DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation),
what was the actual reason behind Delhi Metro pillar collapse. This paper presents an analyses of
the benefits attributed to Delhi Metro.During the construction of metro pillar in Zamrudpur near
East of kailash, this had collapsed killed six people in 2009.An unusual incident was due to
mismanagement and lack of professionalism. Also Crime Branch of Delhi police has held
DMRC, Gammon India Ltd and Arch consultancy responsible for causing the deaths by
approving a “Faulty design”. Along with that Delhi Police also submitted their charge sheet file
before a court has charged including 11 senior DMRC officials and 24 persons, , for negligence.

KEY WORDS- Delhi metro rail corporation,Zamrudpur metro pillar collapse

INTRODUCTION

URBAN TRANSPORT

These days urban transport situationis rapidlydeteriorating in most Indian metropolitan cities
because of the increasing travel demand and inadequate transportation system. Indian cities of all
sizes are acing the crisis of urban transport. Despite investments in road infrastructure and plans
landuse and transport development, all face the problem of congestion traffic accidents and air
pollutions and the problems continue to grow. Large cities are facing an unprecedented growth
of personal vehicles like two wheelers or the car, in every medium and small cities different
forms of intermediate public transport provide sector are struggling to meet the mobility
demands of city resident.

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DELHI METRO

The Delhi Metro is a metro system serving New Delhi and it’s also includes the cities of
Faridabad, Gurgaon, Noida, and Ghaziabad in NCR area (National Capital Region) in India.
Delhi Metro is the world’s 12th largest metro system in terms of length and number of stations,
the network consists of five colour- coded regular lines and the faster Airport Express line, with
a total length of 213 kilometres serving 160 stations. The system has mix of underground, at-
gauge, and elevated stations using both broad-gauge and standard-gauge. The metro has an
average daily ridership of 2.4 million passengers and, as August 2010 has already carried over
1.25 billion passengers since its inception. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) named second
best metro in world.

RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Services) recommended a rail-based system,
comprising a network of elevated, underground and surface corridors, aggregating 198.5kms to
meet the traffic demand up to the 2021. The entire project estimated to cost around Rs. 15000
Croce at 1996 price level was expected to handle 12.6 million commuter trips. First phase of
metro has been completed DMRC web site indicates a number of benefits to metro. These are
somebenefits of the Delhi Metro as it helps in time saving for commuters and it’s also very safe
and reliable journey. Its also helped reduction in accidents over the roads, Increase in the average
speed of road vehicles, reduced fuel consumption, and reduced vehicle operating costs.

On 19th October 2008, in Laxminagar in East Delhi a girder launcher collapsed and fell on
vehicles underneath. On 12 July 2009, a section of bridge collapsed while it was being erected at
Zamrudpur near East of Kailash, on the central secretariat – Badarpur corridor. In this major
accident 15people were injured and 6 people got died.On the same, 13 July 2009, a crane that
was removing the debris collapsed, and with a bowling pin effect collapsed two other nearby
cranes, injuring six. And On the 22 July 2009, workers at Ashok Park Metro station was killed
when another incident happened; at Ashok Park Metro station there is steel beam fell on him.
More than hundred people have died including 93 workers, Delhi metro began in 1998.

LITERATURE REVIEW
CONSTRUCTION

Theactual construction work of the Delhi Metro started from 1st Oct 1998. We already seen what
Kolkata Metro experienced while their construction, there was 12 times and really badly delay
due to budget, technical, political meddling and bureaucratic problems. DMRC is well known
special purpose organisation vested along with the great power to execution, under a difficult
urban environment, there can involve many other technical complexities along with very limited
time duration. DMRC has full power to hire people as many as their required, within the
controlled funds and tenders. DMRC also consulted the HONG KONG MTRC on rapid transit
construction techniques and operations part. And as per the result came out, where the Ministry

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of Railways forced the DMRC to use the board gauge, despite the DMRC was preferring the
standard gauge. On 24th December 2002, the Prime Minister of India, AtalBihari Vajpayee
inaugurated the first elevated line of the Delhi Metro and in December 2004Dr. Manmohan
Singh inaugurated the first underground line of the Delhi Metro. After the Kolkata Metro, it
became the second underground rapid transit system in India. In 2006, the first phase of the
project was completed and it was already ahead of schedule by three years.

OPERATION FAILURE IN DELHI METRO - In 2009, Zamrudpur metro pillar collapse

incident

Delhi metro rail corporation in the 2009 Zamrudpur Metro pillar collapse incident along the
Central Secretariat till Badarpur line were killed the lives of six workers.This incident includes
The Chief Engineer (Design) Rajankataria and Subodh Kumar Gupta, Director (Design) of Arch
consultancyRajiv Ahuja, Pradeep Gupta of Gammon India and the site Chief Project officer and
current Chief Engineer (Tenders). “During this investigation conducted so far, sufficient
evidence has come on file regarding deficiency in preparation of structural design by Arch
Consultancy;mainly it was regarding provision of less steel in overlapping, as it was said by
committee of IIT Roorkee. It also carried out by Gammon India Ltd, has also founded that there
was sub-standard or low-standard in shape of less concrete strength, cast of pier No. 67 at
Zamrudpur near East of kailash.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Sharma has taken cognisance of the charge
sheet and summoned the accused for July 23,2009.

The charge sheet said: “there is sufficient evidence or record on file that the work was planned,
carried out and continued in a negligent manner and endangering the human life and thus
committed offence under section 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of
other), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 304
(causing death by negligence) and 34 (act done by in furtherance of common intention) of the
Indian Penal Code’’.

The charge sheet also relied on a report by an Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee committee.
“During the investigation conducted so far, sufficient evidence has come on file regarding
deficiency in preparation of structural design by Arch Consultancy, especially regarding
provision of less stell in overlapping, as indicated by committee of ITT Roorkee. Beside this
workmanship carried out by Gammon India Ltd, cast of pier No. 67 has also been found sub-
standard in sharp of less concrete strength’’.

The Crime Branch said the crack in the pillar was noticed early but load test was not conducted
by the officials of the three companies who worked in a negligent manner.

As per the charge sheet “All these officials were collectively responsible for quality control of
the concrete mixture but none of them performed their responsibility as assigned to them. The

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expect committee of IIT Roorkee also pointed out the less quantity of cement in the mixture.
Gammon India Ltd. was responsible for mentioning the proportionate ratio. This ratio was to be
mentioned as approval of DMRC,’’.

As per their contract between Gammon and DMRC, DMRC cannot run away from its liability
because the design has been approved from DMRC, which was already used by Gammon.

As per the Panel : Gammon responsible for metro crane mishap 22Jul 2009, IST A probe panel
looking into the crane mishap at a Delhi Metro site during debris clearance on 22 Jul 2009 held
the contractor Gammon India responsible for the incident which it said was due to lack of
professionalism and mismanagement. Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan said that. The DMRC has
appointed B.P Singh, he wasan expert on cranes and former General manager of NALCO, to
inquire into the July 13 mishap when a crane toppled over and booms of two other cranes broke
during site clearing operations at Zamrudpur. Sreedharantold that Gammon India used four
cranes at the same time which was not the practice. Basically two cranes should have been used
instead of four. Once you have used four and if one of them develops a snag, then everything
goes for a toes and everything went wrong. “The report also said that the clearance of girder
from the site should have been done in two stages. There is a sheer error in judgement. He also
said that four cranes were brought from different Metro sites and it did not belong to the same
company. There was no coordinated action. The crane operators could not coordinate, they spoke
different languages. He also said that there was no authority in the country which checks the
“health of such equipment”. In fact there is no authorised agency which certifies that a crane is
safe neither contractor should have deployed more experts on cranes at the site. In the end he
said, there is acute shortage of big contractors and skilled manpower.

Conclusion

In this paper, I have come to the conclusion that faulty design. An unusual incident was due to
mismanagement and lack of professionalism. It was clear two cranes should have been used
instead of four. And once you use four and if one of them develops a snag, then obviously
everything goes for a toss and lead to a major accident where six people died. The design of the
cantilever pier, which collapsed in Zamrudpur, was not adequately taken care of, there was
deficiency of steel at critical areas, besides a major deficiency in reinforcement detailing. The
whole accident was cause of deficiency in design and quality of materials.DMRC (Delhi Metro
Rail Corporation) was already blacklisted Arch Consultant of Gammon India, 4 five years.
DMRC should do double checking of quality and safety standards.

References

1. RTI
2. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/metro-officials-summoned-in-zamrudpur-pillar-
collapse-case/article3615938.ece
3. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/11-DMRC-officials-chargesheeted-in-2009-
metro-pillar-collapse/articleshow/14734459.cms

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4. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/construction/delhi-metro-
debars-gammon-for-two-years-over-zamrudpur-mishap/articleshow/6915877.cms
5. http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/11-metro-officials-charged-in-zamrudpur-
mishap/story-4DtyF3kN0qtn1ah7eMPDxI.html
6. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/16390/design-consultant-misled-us-contractor.html

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