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Sub-sub-contractors & subduing of safety
Two cranes that collapsed on Monday during rescue operations were actually sourced by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) from a sub-sub-contractor; a crane service company that rents out cranes to a sub-contractor which provides logistic support to main civil contractors, reports Atul Mathur.
Is too much dependence on sub contractors and sub-sub contractors proving costly for Delhi Metro?
Two cranes that collapsed on Monday during rescue operations were actually sourced by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) from a sub-sub-contractor; a crane service company that rents out cranes to a sub-contractor which provides logistic support to main civil contractors.
“Problem arises when it comes to implementation of safety measures,” said Pradeep Chaturvedi, former chairman, safety and quality forum.
Delhi Metro has separate safety contracts signed with its contractors.
An inquiry constituted following structural collapse near Laxmi Nagar in East Delhi in October 2008 revealed serious lapses in handling of 600-tonne launcher by one of the sub-contractors of Afcons Infrastructure, the main contractor on Yamuna Bank - Anand Vihar ISBT line.
The crane that developed mechanical failure and crashed down on a car in Jor Bagh in south Delhi on May 10 this year, crane that dropped a heavy girder on a car at a construction site near Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on July 18 last year and another crane that toppled killing two labours in August 2007 in Mayur Vihar area belonged to various sub-sub-contractors.
According to DMRC officials, for every 6-8 kilometre of civil contract given to main civil contractors, 4-6 sub-contractors and 10-12 sub-sub contractors are involved depending upon the nature of work and time required.
Though there are proper mechanical, technical and safety checks on equipment like huge tunnel boring machines that are brought in from abroad, experts said maintenance schedule of equipment sourced by sub-contractors and sub-sub-contractors is hardly followed.
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