After 3 weeks, work on Metro resumes
Construction work on the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro corridor resumed on Tuesday after a private agency finished reviewing safety measures at the site. Work had been suspended after an accident at Airport Metro station on September 4.
Two girders were launched early on Tuesday morning near the Western Express Highway, marking the revival of the work. “After a three-week suspension, the construction activity has finally restarted,” confirmed S.V.R. Srinivas, additional metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA.
Soon after the accident on September 4, Reliance Infrastructure-led Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL) had appointed SGS, an agency involved in testing and certification of safety, to conduct a review and work came to a standstill. A two-member committee appointed by the MMRDA to ascertain the cause of the accident and recommend how to prevent mishaps is yet to finalise and submit its report.
However, the SGS has completed its review and given a go-ahead to the MMOPL to start construction work with some riders and suggestions to keep the Metro site accident-free. An SGS team will guide Reliance Infrastructure till the completion of civil works.
Confirming the development, an MMOPL spokesperson said, “Yes, the work has commenced under the active guidance of SGS. The SGS team has deployed its personnel 24/7 to oversee the safety measures and assist in safety compliances.”
The three-week delay will pose a challenge to the MMOPL as it races to meet the completion deadline of March 31, 2013. According to sources, this target is most likely to be missed, as several crucial and time-consuming works are pending. As per the concession agreement, the original deadline was March 2012.
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