By IANS,
Mumbai : Reliance Infrastructure, which operates Delhi Metro’s Airport Express line, Tuesday refused to indicate a time-frame for completing repairs that would enable resuming stalled services on the premier line.
“We are currently carrying out the modalities of repair work. There are 2,000 bearings to be repaired and each bearing has unique design feature and repair requirements,” Lalit Jalan, CEO Reliance Infrastructure, said during a conference call.
A Reliance Infrastructure-led consortium called the Delhi Airport Metro Express Pvt Ltd (DAMEPL) has a 30-year concession to operate the line, which was closed down since July 8 for an indefinite period for repairs. The 23-km-long line connects New Delhi railway station with the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
“The line has a speed capability of 120 kmph and the safety of Delhi people was the paramount concern when we decided to close it down. No other way was feasible,” Jalan said.
Jalan was speaking after declaring Reliance Infra’s results for the quarter ended June 30, 2012 during which net profits declined by nearly 15 per cent year-on-year.
He admitted that the closure of the Airport Expressway would mean heavy losses for the company and they would claim these from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which has built the line.
The line was shut down after independent consultants reported about the risk of derailment on account of serious defects in piers, piers caps, bearings and girders on the elevated stretch of the corridor.
The union government set up a committee last month comprising officials from the Indian Railways, Delhi Metro and Reliance Infrastructure to go into the nature of the defects.
“The railways have the best relevant competence in the matter. Only after complete repairs, when the line is made good and re-certified, both by DMRC and Reliance Infrastructure, will the line be started,” Jalan said.