Delhi Metro Steps Up Safety With 20 km Barricading, LED Lights At Construction Sites

Following a tragic incident in Greater Noida that claimed the life of a 27-year-old tech professional, safety measures around large infrastructure projects have come under intense scrutiny. In response, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has detailed an extensive safety framework designed to protect commuters, pedestrians, and workers around construction zones across the capital.

At present, nearly 20 kilometres of barricading have been installed along under-construction Delhi Metro sites to ensure the safety of vehicles and pedestrians. To combat low-visibility winter conditions, especially at night, approximately 17 kilometres of LED rope lights and blinkers have been mounted on these barricades.

To ensure smooth traffic flow and safe movement near construction areas, over 270 trained traffic marshals have been deployed round-the-clock. These marshals assist vehicles and play a crucial role during the movement of heavy machinery and cranes, particularly during nighttime operations. Road studs and warning signage have also been installed to alert commuters and slow down traffic near vulnerable points around construction sites.

As part of Phase 4 construction, the DMRC has introduced dedicated Impact Protection Vehicles designed to absorb the impact of rashly driven vehicles and protect workers and machinery during crane placement and heavy equipment movement on roads.

With dense fog affecting visibility during winters, additional safety measures have been implemented, including fog lights installed atop barricades, reflective tapes on workers' helmets and the mandatory use of high-visibility jackets. Wherever road diversions are required, detailed planning is carried out in consultation with the Delhi Traffic Police, and a three-layered protection system using plastic barriers, sand- or water-filled drums and concrete crash barriers is put in place.

To withstand adverse weather conditions such as high winds and monsoons, DMRC barricades are designed to be bottom-heavy, securely nailed to the ground and bolted together, ensuring they do not topple. Hard barricading using concrete crash barriers has also been deployed to prevent vehicles from colliding with heavy machinery or temporary installations. These crash barriers are made using recycled construction waste, making them eco-friendly.

To ensure uniform quality and strict compliance, DMRC has made traffic management guidelines binding on contractors by incorporating them into tender documents, following Indian Road Congress codes and lessons learned from earlier phases of Metro construction.

Despite the challenges of executing mass transit projects in densely populated areas, the DMRC said vehicular and pedestrian movement around Delhi Metro construction sites has remained largely incident-free, underscoring the effectiveness of the safety measures currently in place.