Gammon's trouble may hit BMRC

Detailed Project Report of Namma Metro, a reproduction of Delhi plan

The decision of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to issue show-cause notice to Gammon India may have implications for Namma Metro.

The reason being that the Mumbai-based firm has been contracted for some of the construction work by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).

Deccan Herald had reported on July 19 that disasters that happen owing to inadequate planning or faulty safety and quality assurance structures are not ‘accidents’, but negligence. The report stands vindicated by the findings of the DMRC’s inquiry into the recent mishaps on Delhi Metro sites that claimed the lives of six workers and left 15 others injured. With this, the focus inevitably shifts to the Namma Metro rail project, which is virtually ‘remote controlled’ by DMRC chief E Sreedharan. Starting with the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Namma Metro to its execution, the project heavily draws from the DMRC’s experience and practices. BMRC, which is executing Namma Metro, even hired the services of Gammon India recently, the construction company that may be blacklisted for the Delhi mishap.

BMRC ousted another contractor, Navayuga, for ‘delay’ and hired the Mumbai-based construction company to execute part of the project.  

The critical question, according to analysts and experts, is whether Bangalore Metro is proofed against accidents that occurred in Delhi due to basic design flaws. Sources in BMRC said that the DPR of Namma Metro is more of a reproduction of Delhi Metro’s. Without the customary detailed feasibility study to ascertain project worthiness, the DPR was approved by including the estimated project cost.

The term ‘approved’ is tricky as proved by the ‘approved’ project cost which has risen from Rs 6,396 crore to over Rs 8,000 crore. The progress of the project, or the lack of it, could well escalate the cost to beyond Rs 12,000 crore, the sources said.

Speaking to Deccan Herald earlier this month, BMRC Managing Director N Sivasailam had said there was no need for third party oversight of project design and other quality parameters as the credibility of outside parties was suspect. On Tuesday, he said Gammon India’s work in Bangalore was independent of Delhi Metro’s decision. “We are a separate entity.”

The contract to complete viaduct and segment launching works from pier no 1 to 26 (Baiyappnahalli to Old Madras Rd Station) and 117 to 154 (Halasoor Station to Trinity Station), for a distance of 1.6 km was awarded to Gammon and will continue. We are not bound by DMRC’s decisions” Sivasailam said. BMRCL had issued a showcause notice and subsequently off loaded its contractor Navayuga for slow performance.

“Navayuga was a year behind schedule. Another contractor on Reach 3 (Yeshwantpur to Swastik), IDEB-SUCG, has also been off loaded at their cost. There is a High Court stay on the matter. This apart, there was no other factor, apart from not keeping up to the schedule to off load our contractors,” added Sivasailam.

DH News Service

Show-cause notice slapped

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has blacklisted its design consultant, Arch Consultancy Services, for five years and issued a show-cause notice for a two-year blacklisting to contractor Gammon India, Parliament was informed on Tuesday, reports DHNS from New Delhi.