Cracks on piers superficial and minor reassures DMRC

Structural audit on piers that were under construction of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has brought out as many as 18 cracks on the pillars. The DMRC has been conducting checks on all piers on the metro's 190 km-long phase II after the 12 July accident that killed six people through independent consultant Shirish Patel and Associates.

DMRC managing director E Sreedharan had asked engineers working on the project to inspect all piers built on the lines under their charge for cracks and other abnormalities.

"They found hairline cracks on eight piers of the Central Secretariat-Gurgaon corridor, two piers of the NOIDA corridor and eight piers of the Central Secretariat-Badarpur corridor. All appear to be minor in nature," DMRC chief public relations officer Anuj Dayal said.

"DMRC will carry out further corrective action if required and take necessary remedial measures after Shirish Patel and Associates have examined these locations," he said.

He added the consultant has been asked by Sreedharan to reassess the design of the 18 points in detail.

Though residents of Noida have misgivings about the DMRC's rush to conduct trial runs on the recently completed stretch, the company has sought to dispel fears saying that surface cracks in concrete structures are not uncommon and trials are likely to continue alongside the investigation.