Metro rail accident caused from substandard bearing pads, design flaws

The relevant investigation committee has submitted its report into the incident in which a pedestrian, Abul Kalam, was killed after a bearing pad fell from the metro rail structure.

The report states that tests conducted at a BUET laboratory found that the two bearing pads that fell did not meet the required quality standards. Similarly, the design of the viaduct from which the bearing pad fell off was also found to be flawed.

The investigation report was formally handed over today, Thursday, to adviser of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, by head of the investigation committee and secretary of the Bridges Division, Mohammad Abdur Rouf.

Although substandard bearing pads and design flaws were identified, members of the committee believe that train operations on this metro rail line can continue. In this regard, they have recommended that the bearing pads be kept under close and regular monitoring.

Around 12:20 pm on 26 October, a bearing pad became dislodged from pillar number 433 of the metro rail in the Farmgate area and fell onto the road below. Pedestrian Abul Kalam Azad, 35, was struck on the head and died at the scene. A high-level committee was formed the same day to investigate the incident.

Earlier, on 18 September 2024, another bearing pad had become dislodged from pillar number 430 of the metro rail in the same area and fallen onto the road. Although there were no fatalities on that occasion, metro rail services were suspended for nearly 11 hours.

Bearing pads are installed at the junction between metro rail pillars and the elevated viaduct. They are made of a combination of rubber and steel, each weighing approximately 50 to 80 kilograms. There are a total of 2,480 such bearing pads along the Uttara-Motijheel metro rail route.