"E Sreedharan has decided to withdraw his resignation in view of the letter he received from Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit (asking him to continue as the DMRC Managing Director)," Metro Rail spokesperson Anuj Dayal told mediapersons in New Delhi.
Dayal said the Metro chief also took into consideration the persuasion of Delhi Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna and Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy who asked him to withdraw his resignation letter and continue in the post.
The 77-year-old renowned technocrat quit his post within hours of the accident at the Metro construction site in south Delhi's Jamrudpur area on Sunday where an under construction bridge collapsed killing six people and injuring 15 others.
Dikshit had on Sunday night rejected his resignation saying that the Delhi Metro and the country needed his services.
"We respect his sentiments. But we also know that the Delhi Metro and the country needs him. Not only he does good work for Delhi but also for the country," she said.
Highly placed sources said the government rejected Sreedharan's resignation as it viewed that his continuation was necessary for successful completion of Metro projects ahead of the Commonwealth Games next year.
The ceiling of a nearby shop was damaged in the incident but the occupants of the building were evacuated when the rescue operations began, Delhi Metro spokesperson Anuj Dayal said.
The damaged building will be fully repaired by the DMRC, he said. Giving details of the mishap he said, four cranes were trying to lift a 200-tonne portion of the collapsed launching girder.
One of the high-capacity cranes developed a mechanical failure with the booms of the crane malfunctioning.
As a consequence, he said, extra weight was transfered to other cranes, leading to the snapping of the booms of two cranes and toppling of another one. He said the crane operators were unharmed.
"About 80 per cent of the damaged launching girder has fallen to the ground while about 20 per cent is still on the concrete spam. The launcher is now being cut into pieces with the help of the gas cutters," he said.
The methodology to dismantle the completed girder is being worked out by DMRC, he added.
