New Delhi, July 12: Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit
on Sunday ordered a probe into the collapse of an under-
construction bridge at a Delhi Metro site here, saying
accountability should be fixed.
Dikshit, who visited the All India Institute of
Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where injured are admitted, also
announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for those killed
in the "very unfortunate" accident.
The compensation will be paid to the victims by the
Delhi Metro, she said.
While Rs 5 lakh each will be paid to the kin of
those killed in the accident at Jhamrudpur in South Delhi`s
Lajpat Nagar, Rs 2 lakh each will be given to those who
suffered serious injuries.
The Chief Minister also said that a compensation of Rs
15,000 each will be given to the others who suffered minor
injuries.
Dikshit said a five-member probe committee comprising
experts has been constituted to investigate the causes of the
collapse.
The committee will try to find "exact reasons behind
the mishap", she told reporters here.
Dikshit also said that she expected the Delhi Metro,
which enjoys a "fine reputation", to take appropriate action
against those responsible for the mishap.
On the action against those responsible for the
mishap, she said, it was up to the Delhi Metro "to take
whatever action they can because they have such a fine
reputation they would not like to ruin. I am sure they will
take action."
Whether the accident will delay the Metro`s plans,
Dikshit said she does not think so.
"It (accident) perhaps will mean re-organising the
whole thing. Work has to go on. But accountability also should
be established and whoever has been careless about it should
be accordingly punished," Dikshit, who was accompanied by
Health Minister Kiran Walia, said.
Asked whether pressure due to Commonwealth Games next
year was resulting in compromise in the safety standards, she
answered in the negative.
"I don`t think that the incident had happened because
of work pressure. It is not that to meet deadline, you don`t
work properly or you compromise on safety standards," the
Chief Minister said.
Dikshit said she was confident that the Delhi Metro
will adopt more precautions while implementing its projects.
Centre to examine causes of bridge collapse
Meanwhile, the Centre today said it will
examine the causes of the collapse of an under-construction
bridge of the Delhi Metro.
"Our department will take a review and find out the
causes. This is a very unfortunate incident," Minister of
State for Urban Development Saugata Ray told reporters here.
He said all precaution will be taken to ensure that such
incidents do not recur.
Bureau Report
