New Delhi, July 12 - Delhi Metro officials could not believe what they had heard.

Camera persons, photographers and reporters had swamped the eighth floor of the Metro Bhavan at Barakhamba Road where Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) managing director E. Sreedharan was supposed to brief on Sunday's tragedy, the worst mishap in its history.

At 3.00 p.m. sharp Sreedharan emerged calm and composed from the restricted entry side of the conference room, where he had met with senior DMRC officials.

After clarifying details of the incident and expressing his remorse over the situation amid media frenzy, the Metro chief suddenly dropped the bomb and announced his resignation.

'I have been in charge of the Metro for the past 10 years. I take full moral responsibility for the accident, and having taken the full responsibility I resign (from the post the managing director) of the Delhi Metro,' Sreedharan said.

And an awkward silence fell over the conference room for a few minutes before some reporters asked him to clarify what that meant. Was he trying to divert attention from the incident?

'I have taken responsibility as the head of the organisation. Whose fault it is, is immaterial at this point...The incident may be because of the contractor, the designers or supervisors but that doesn't take away that the entire responsibility is of the DMRC - so as its head I resign.'

He added that if it was just the 'first instance' he would not have taken the drastic step.

'This is a repetition of the incident in October 2008. That was a major jolt but this is more serious and an even bigger jolt.'

He clarified that there was absolutely 'no pressure' from officials at DMRC and that moments before when he decided to submit his resignation to Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit and Lieutenant

Governor Tejinder Khanna, his peers and colleagues had told him to reconsider.