E. Sreedharan, managing directorof the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), resigned from the post Sunday,taking moral responsibility for the collapse of the under construction bridgethat killed five people in the capital.

Addressing a press conference here, the77-year-old Sreedharan expressed "lot of pain and remorse" over theaccident in south Delhi. "Having taken moral responsibility of theincident, I have sent my resignation to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit andLt Governor Tejendra Khanna," Sreedharan told reporters.

The bridge that collapsed Sunday was part of an elevated section of the DelhiMetro Rail Corporation's (DMRC) new route on the Central Secretariat-Badarpursection. The incident took place at around 5 a.m. at the construction site atZamrudpur near Amar Colony.

Nohasty decision: Govt

The Delhi government on Sunday said it will not take any "hastydecision" on the resignation of Delhi Metro chief E. Sreedharan and thatit will have to think about "what is good for the city".

"The Delhi government is not going to take any hasty decision in decidingon his resignation. Sreedharan is a very emotional person and that is why hehas taken moral responsibility," P.K. Tripathi, Principal Secretary to theChief Minister, told PTI.

"We will have to think what is good for Delhi. Commonwealth Games is roundthe corner. There are certain deadlines to be met. We will have to see allthese things and discuss all issues before taking a decision," he said.

"A hasty decision will not be a right decision," Tripathi said,adding a committee has also been formed and the government will have to lookinto its report. Describing Sreedharan as a "man of integrity", hesaid "we are not going to take any decision immediately".

A spokesman from Lt Governor Tejendra Khanna's office said "the decisionwill have to be taken at a political level." The DMRC is under the UrbanDevelopment Ministry and a lot of authorities are involved, he said, adding theL-G alone will not take a decision.