Delhi Metro bridge collapse: road still blocked

New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) The road leading to the under-construction Delhi Metro bridge that collapsed in east Delhi Sunday, killing two people and injuring 30, remained blocked Monday morning with debris and parts of machinery not having been cleared from the accident site.

The stretch of road from ITO towards Laxmi Nagar, where the bridge collapsed, is blocked, resulting in the traffic movement between Preet Vihar and ITO coming to halt. Delhi Metro Rail Rail Corporation (DMRC) officials had claimed that the debris would be cleared by Monday morning.

The Vikas Marg stretch sees huge vehicular traffic during morning and evening rush hours. With the road being blocked, commuters had a harrowing time.

'I thought the route would have been cleared by morning. But I forgot that work in our country takes place at a slow pace,' said Ashok Gupta, who takes this route to commute to his office in Ghaziabad.

Asked when the road would be cleared, a DMRC official said: 'The road leading from Preet Vihar to ITO has been cleared. We hope that by Monday evening the road from ITO towards Preet Vihar would also be cleared.'

But Sanjay Sharma, a shopkeeper in the area, said: 'Looking at these huge blocks and machine parts, it seems impossible that it would be possible to clear the road before tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.'

The accident occurred at around 7 a.m. Sunday in Laxmi Nagar locality of east Delhi when a launcher machine joining prefabricated, heavy concrete structures between two pillars 'collapsed', leading to a part of the bridge coming down.

A Blueline bus plying on route number 39, a crane of the construction company, one truck and a few cars were trapped under the debris. The bus driver, Surender Pal Singh, 28, and a worker of AFCONS (private construction company in charge of the segment) Chhote Lal, 25, were killed in the accident. Nearly 30 people were injured.

A technical inquiry has been ordered by Delhi Metro. DMRC spokesman Anuj Dayal said that all construction activities underway in Phase-II over 125 km would be reviewed.

The second phase of the metro network is slated to be completed ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi.