New Delhi, July 28: The news of cracks appearing on Metro piers on its three upcoming rail links is worse than it seems.
This is because Delhi falls in a zone vulnerable to earthquakes, which raises the risk of mishaps on the Metro lines.
The Capital falls under seismic Zone IV, making it highly prone to earthquakes.
But the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which has built overhead rail links through most of the city, claims all its structures have been designed to withstand earthquakes.
“All the structures have been designed are in accordance with Zone IV standards. In some areas, we have even designed the structures beyond Zone IV requirements,” DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal said.
But Delhiites refuse to take the statement at face value, especially after the spate of mishaps that has dogged the Metro for the past few days, including the one at Zamrudpur.
“The Delhi Metro says its structures are earthquake-resistant but the point is, when we have tall buildings next to the Metro rail – which are probably not quake resistant – then what difference does it make? Those buildings may fall on trains or disrupt services after a quake,” said Suman Luthra, a resident of Punjabi Bagh.
India is divided into various seismic zones on the basis of certain risk factors, with the most earthquake- prone areas being those under Zone V. A light earthquake had rocked Delhi, as well as adjoining parts of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, on November 26, 2007.
But the quake’s effect on the Metro could not be gauged because it was not running at the time of the earthquake.
The DMRC has brushed aside concerns over the Metro’s safety ever since construction began on its first overhead rail link.
Media speculation on safety had prompted its chief E. Sreedharan to back the Metro’s structural strength as early as 2001.
He said an extra 50 per cent safety margin had been provided while constructing the overhead links.
Sreedharan also pointed out that the Metro bridge over the Yamuna that connects the Yamuna Bank station to Indraprastha had been designed keeping in mind the safety specifications required for Zone V, though Delhi falls under Zone IV.
–Agencies