Airport operator blames Metro for cave-in near T3

A stretch of the Central Spine Road near Indira Gandhi International Airport's Terminal 3, which is used by thousands of passengers and visitors every day, caved in a few days ago after the rains. Sidhartha Roy reports.

A stretch of the Central Spine Road near Indira Gandhi International Airport's Terminal 3, which is used by thousands of passengers and visitors every day, caved in a few days ago after the rains.

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The cave-in has been barricaded by airport operator Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL) for repair work. But this isn't the first time this particular stretch has caved in.

DIAL blamed the tunnel of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) airport line, which runs beneath the stretch, because of which the top soil has settled down.

"DIAL has repeatedly raised concerns from the year 2009 with DMRC regarding the caving in of the Central Spine Road due to settlement of backfill and improper compaction along the Airport Metro Tunnel," a DIAL spokesman said. "This is due to deficiencies in the execution of works by the sub-contractor of the DMRC," he added.

He also said that DIAL has carried out temporary repairs of the road four times since then.

"At any underground construction, a little settlement always occurs and it has to be monitored for two-three years. This is within acceptable limits and requires minor corrective action," a DMRC spokesman said. "Some settlements at a few points doesn't mean the entire work is faulty."

DMRC said that at some points, where the tunnel and road cross, soil had settled and since DIAL wanted to reconstruct these parts itself, the DMRC agreed to pay the cost.

"DIAL has also withheld payment of Rs 50 crore of the total Rs 350 crore that they had to pay us for the civil cost of the airport line on this account," he said.