News Desk : dhakamirror.com
The recent failure of a metro rail bearing pad wasn’t exactly a sudden incident. According to Faruk Ahmed, the Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), it could stem from various issues related to design, construction, materials, or even consultancy.
He emphasized during a press briefing at the DMTCL office in Uttara this morning, “This wasn’t an unexpected collapse. It’s not just a random event. There are four possible reasons that could explain what happened.”
Faruk went on to detail the potential causes, suggesting that it might be linked to a design flaw—like errors in the structural or bearing design—or perhaps a construction mistake, which could arise from poor execution or not following the specifications properly. He also mentioned that there could be issues with installation or workmanship, where the contractor might not have complied with the necessary standards.
Additionally, he pointed out that the problem could be rooted in consultancy failures, as the firms involved may not have fully understood some of the technical details of the project.
“We’ve invested over a thousand crore taka in consultancy. It’s possible they didn’t grasp all the technical aspects,” he noted.
Faruk acknowledged that these factors might be interconnected.
“Since the investigation committee is already on the case, I’d rather hold off on making any definitive statements for now.”
In the meantime, DMTCL plans to carry out an independent external safety audit of the metro rail infrastructure to identify any potential design flaws and ensure public safety, as Faruk explained.
He also shared that they’ve already started the process of hiring an international firm for this audit.
“This structure is designed to last 100 years, and the bearings are supposed to have a lifespan of 50 years. Yet, here we are, just two years in, facing these issues. That’s why we believe an independent audit will provide more reliable results than an internal one. Public safety is our utmost priority,” he said.
This won’t happen overnight. The audit has to be conducted on an international scale. “With the support of our ministers, we aim to wrap up the process as swiftly as we can,” he said.
Journalists also highlighted the High Court’s ruling, questioning why the victim’s family shouldn’t receive Tk 2 crore in compensation and asking for an independent investigation report within 30 days.
In response, the DMTCL official remarked, “We will comply with any directives from the court. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to discuss this matter here.”
Faruk noted that the company would replace any defective parts found during the audit.
He also unveiled a new monitoring strategy that involves using CCTV cameras on metro rail bearings to track their performance in real time, calling it “a fresh concept.”
However, he emphasized that this would only serve as a temporary fix. “It might offer some immediate relief or a quick response, but it can’t be the ultimate solution. If we start putting CCTV everywhere, the whole country would be under constant watch. What we really need is a sustainable solution,” he explained.
On October 26, a pedestrian tragically lost his life when a bearing pad from pillars 433 of the metro rail station fell on him in the Farmgate area of Dhaka, injuring two others as well.
