The accident took place around 5 a.m. at the construction site at Zamrudpur near Amar Colony. A launching girder along with a portion of the pier set up on pre-fabricated pillars collapsed.

'I have been working as the in charge of the Delhi Metro project for 10 years... We have maintained fairly high standards of safety. The first accident was in Laxmi Nagar and was a jolt. But today is still a bigger jolt.,' Sreedharan said.

'This is more serious, according to me, than Laxmi Nagar,' he added.

This Metro section was slated to open by September 2010, a month before the Commonwealth Games next year. However, Sreedharan said that the accident would cause 'serious' delay in the completion of the line besides inflicting a damage of Rs.6 crore (Rs.60 million).

'Due to this accident, the estimated damage is Rs.6 crore (Rs.60 million) to the whole work. This accident is going to cause a serious delay. We anticipate on this section a delay of at least three months,' said Sreedharan.

Sreedharan has been responsible for the construction of the Metro rail project in Delhi, which uses some of the most advanced technology in the field of civil, electrical, signalling and telecommunication engineering worldwide.

Sreedharan was earlier responsible for building the largest rail project in India after Independence by linking the west coast of India through the 760 km-long Konkan Railway line.

He has been conferred several honours, including the country's fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri in 2001 and he was named the Asian Hero by the Time magazine in 2003.