Sreedharan said the design consultant, Arch Consultancy Services, had been blacklisted for five years while the structural consultant, Tandon Consultants, was being debarred for two years for not giving 'correct advice' to the Delhi Metro Rail Corp (DMRC).

This decision was based on a probe by a panel appointed by the DMRC.

Vijay Anand, director of DMRC in whose jurisdiction the accident took place as well as a previous accident involving a launching girder collapse, has been sent back to the railways 'on moral grounds'.

Two deputy chief engineers directly responsible for the design and site supervision - V.P. Shrivastava and Mukesh Thakur - have been placed under suspension. Rajan Kataria, the chief engineer design, DMRC, will be issued with a major penalty charge sheet, Sreedharan said.