News: Gurugram Metro Redesigned to Tougher Earthquake Standards-11-02-2026
Gurugram Metro Rail Limited (GMRL) is reworking the structural design of the entire metro alignment after the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) notified revised seismic design standards last November. Piles, pillars, spans and stations are all being strengthened.
Under IS 1893 (Part 1):2025 and Part 5:2025, issued on November 3, 2025, most new projects are expected to be designed to zone five safety levels although the region officially remains in zone four. Experts said this means stronger reinforcement and ductile detailing, thicker structural walls, stiffer frames and deeper, more resilient foundations. The code replaces the 2016 version and is mandatory for new construction across the country.
GMRL has brought in additional designers and planners. Officials said the cost of the revision is being worked out but should not raise project cost significantly because construction has only just begun, and steps are being taken to protect phase one timelines. Only the structural design needs changing.
A senior GMRL official said the task has become harder and slower, as design software based on zone four parameters is being updated, but the structures will withstand stronger earthquakes. The revised parameters will go into the phase two tender.
An official of Systra, the design consultant, said the change means deeper bores, heavier reinforcement and greater strength, at a cost in time and resources.
Yogesh Bhasin, president, Structures, Signature Global, said the new zoning effectively requires Delhi NCR to meet zone five specifications, equivalent to readiness for earthquakes of magnitude 7 on the Richter scale, and that doing so at the design stage is a positive step. Naveet Kour, a scientist at the Central Road Research Institute, said Delhi NCR is practically in the zone five category and construction must follow the new code.
