The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC),which is penalising Reliance Infrastructure at the rate of Rs 75 lakh per day for the delay in completion of the Airport Metro Express Line,believes that the concessionaire could not keep pace when the last lap of work on the corridor was to be done. The line was to begin operations from August 31 but the deadline was extended by a month after Reliance Infrastructure said the DMRC had delayed handing over of stations and tunnels. After the line was denied certification by the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) following an inspection in September,the DMRC invoked the penalty clause. Reliance Infrastructure has now said that it awaiting fire clearance,after which the CMRS would be invited for inspection. Officials said that based on progress reports by Reliance Infrastructure,the DMRC was confident that the line would meet the Commonwealth Games deadline. There were regular review meetings and a consortium led by a Japanese company,comprising a team of over 10 expatriates,was hired to supervise the project and give DMRC regular feedback. Until mid-September,the project was close to completion but other significant components like training of drivers and staff for operations and finishing of stations was yet to be done. On the basis of our previous experience of commissioning lines,we had expected that Reliance would finish it by the time the inspection was conducted, said Mangu Singh,Director (Works),DMRC. The CMRS inspection was initially scheduled for mid-September but Reliance requested for more time,so we delayed it,keeping it for the last week before the Games. Till the last minute,we were very confident. Thats why we invited the CMRS for an inspection. Had it been a DMRC project,we could have taken corrective action in the last few days,engaged additional agencies to meet the deadline but in this case we didnt have much control, Singh said. According to the DMRC,Reliance Infrastructure engaged some of the best companies for signalling,air-conditioning and ventilation. But as per internal assessment,it is suspected that Reliance Infrastructure misappreciated work and could not keep the pace during the last lap. DMRC officials pointed out that work on the corridor had been completed in a record time of 42 months,whereas such projects usually dont get completed in less than 48 months. The project will be complete in record time. Had it been constructed on a Build Operate Transfer mode,it would have taken around 72 months. In this case,it was possible to complete the project in a shorter duration as it was being carried out simultaneously by the DMRC and the concessionaire, Singh said. Reliance Infrastructure has written to the DMRC to waive the penalty.
