The inquiry report into the July 12 accident at the Metro construction site in Zamrudpur that killed six workers and left 15 others injured was placed before Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan late Thursday evening.

While that report is under examination by Metro’s board of directors, the report on the July 13 crane mishap at the same site while removing debris has got the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and contractor for the line, Gammon India Limited, sparring.

On July 13, four cranes were lifting the launching girder that had collapsed the day before when the boom of one snapped. As a result, two adjoining cranes gave way and the third toppled. Six workers received minor injuries, and three cranes were destroyed in the event.

The inquiry report on this mishap by B P Singh, an expert on construction of heavy structures, says, “Mechanical failure of cranes is primarily due to sudden overloading of cranes as well as side thrust due to non-correction of swing”. The report (Newsline has a copy) also says, “In this situation, team work demands free interaction with experienced operators, lifting engineers and managers for giving ultimate plan of operation.”

While DMRC managing director Sreedharan says site-clearing operations were carried out by contractors and any flaw in crane operations will be their responsibility, senior Gammon officials said DMRC was consulted throughout the process.

Gammon is responsible for site-clearing operations as per the contract.

But the probe report says interactions were also held with DMRC’s chief project manager (south-east) S K Gupta, Gammon vice-president (plant) V K Luthra, and Gammon’s deputy project manager Manish Dutta.

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