Sreedharan to submit report on ITO Metro

NEW DELHI: After a long blame game on the delay in opening of Metro stretch between Mandi House and ITO, the urban development ministry has asked former DMRC chief E Sreedharan to look into the legal and operational aspects of the case. He has been asked to submit a report quickly so that a decision on opening of the single line can be taken.
Though work on the station and the tracks for this stretch, which forms part of the Badarpur-Central Secretariat to Kashmere Gate corridor, had been completed by early February, DMRC and commissioner of Metro rail safety have been locked in a technical fight over safe operation of trains passing through the station.
The issue came up for discussion on Thursday at a meeting convened by urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu on the delays in getting security certificates for completed Metro projects.
Sources said that commissioner of railway safety was of the view that single line sections can't be made functional while DMRC took the view that there was no such restriction in the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance Act). "In view of the differences in interpretation of the Act, Naidu has asked Sreedharan to examine the relevant provisions in detail for giving an opinion for further consideration," said a ministry spokesperson.
Officials said that Sreedharan pointed out that there used to be no such delays in respect of Delhi Metro projects under phases I and II and the problem has risen due to amendments to the Metro Railways Act in 2009. He cited how because of these changes now there is too much of micro-management of safety issues and these are causing delays. DMRC chief Mangu Singh also gave details of some such instances and stipulations in respect of metro projects which were not being applied for railway lines.