DMRC draws Supreme Court ire over compensation

The Supreme Court came down heavily on the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for refusing to compensate a person whose car got crushed in an accident on May 9, 2009, in Jorbagh.

The Supreme Court came down heavily on the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for refusing to compensate a person whose car got crushed in an accident on May 9, 2009, in Jorbagh.

HT Image

Petitioner Shasidharan and his family escaped death as a crane, weighing nearly 40 tonnes, fell on his new car at a Metro construction site.

A bench comprising Justices H.S. Bedi and Chandramauli K.R. Prasad slammed the DMRC and its contractor M/s CEC Soma JV, when the two claimed they were not liable, as they did not own the crane that fell on the vehicle.

When the counsel informed the court that the sub-contractor owned the crane, the bench said: “It is unfair that nobody is taking the responsibility for the accident. If this trend continues, tomorrow you may say the driver of the crane is responsible.”

The bench warned the DMRC of serious consequences if it failed to take action.

“This has to stop. Such incidents are happening every second day. You cannot run away from the responsibility,” the bench said.