Delhi Metro acted against consultant for airport metro lapses: Govt

Delhi Metro authorities have taken action against the consultant and engineers involved in executing the Airport Express Metro Line for alleged lapses, including providing 'unfit' track fittings for the project, the government told Rajya Sabha today.

In a written reply to a question, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has informed the ministry that the track fittings provided by concessionaire are "not fit" for trains to be run at more than 80 kmph, even though the prescribed limit on the metro line is 120 kmph.

The DMRC, however, has informed the ministry that irregularities have not been found in the terms and conditions of the Delhi Airport Express Metro Line.

"Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. Has informed that accountability was fixed on the consultant, the civil contractor and DMRC officials who were involved in the execution of the project.

"As an outcome, the consultant, who was the engineer for the project, forfeited the performance security of Rs 5.80 crore," Puri told Rajya Sabha in his written reply.

He said the civil contractor was disqualified for participating in DMRC tenders, adding that the assistant engineer and deputy chief engineer for the project were taken up under the Discipline and Appeal Rules.

"DMRC has informed that the prescribed speed of Delhi Airport Express Metro Line is 120 kmph. At present, there is no defect in the line except that the tract fittings provided by concessionaire are not fit for more than 80 kmph.

"Accordingly, trains are being run at a maximum speed of 80 kmph," Puri said.

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Last month, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demanded a CBI inquiry into the alleged "negligence and corruption" regarding the termination of the concession agreement of the airport line.

In a letter to Puri, a copy of which was also sent to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Kejriwal had said, "Given the alarming proportions of negligence and corruption, I would request you to entrust this case to CBI for expeditious investigations and prosecutions."