A 53-year-old man lost his life on Thursday when a portion of the Gokulpuri Metro Station, part of the Pink Line in northeast Delhi, collapsed.
The man, identified as Vinod Kumar, was riding his scooter when he was caught under the debris from the collapsed wall of the elevated station platform. Vinod Kumar resided in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Colony in the nearby Karawal Nagar area.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on Thursday announced Rs 15 lakh in compensation for the family. It has also announced Rs 2.5 lakh for the grievously injured and Rs 50,000 for those who received minor injuries. The transporters also suspended two of its officials over the collapse.
“Two DMRC officials, a manager and a junior engineer from the civil department, have been immediately suspended,” the statement read.
Authorities stated that four other individuals sustained injuries in the incident and are currently receiving treatment at GTB Hospital in Dilshad Garden. Additionally, two motorcycles and two scooters were damaged in the collapse.
The incident occurred around 11 am, when a portion of the boundary wall (Eastern side) of the elevated platform, along with part of a slab, fell onto the road below, according to a police officer. Some part of the slab remains suspended.
The Pink Line metro route operates between Majlis Park and Shiv Vihar metro stations.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast Delhi) Joy Tirkey mentioned that due to the proximity of Gokulpuri Police Station to the metro station, local staff, including the Station House Officer, promptly responded to the scene after the incident.
“Four individuals were injured in the collapse. Our personnel, with the assistance of locals and fire department officials, rescued them from the debris and transported them to GTB Hospital,” Tirkey stated.
Tirkey further noted that approximately 40-50 meters of the wall, along with the slab, collapsed.
Several video clips of the incident, captured by passersby on their mobile phones, circulated on social media, depicting police clearing the rubble from the road and a portion of the ledge hanging precariously.
A Delhi Fire Service (DFS) official reported that the collapse was notified at 11:10 am, prompting the immediate dispatch of four fire tenders.
Assistant Divisional Officer (DFS) CL Meena stated that two individuals were rescued by the Delhi police, while the other two were extricated by fire officials.
Meena added that the area on the road has been cordoned off until the suspended portion of the slab is removed.
A police officer confirmed the temporary closure of the metro station. An inspection by a team of experts will precede any repair work.
Authorities stated that a case under relevant sections of the law will be registered regarding this incident.
(With PTI inputs)
