Delhi, July 1: Delhi Metro on Monday took over operations of Airport Express Line even as Reliance Infra, which ran the line, blamed DMRC’s “persistent” failure to cure defects in the civil structure for termination of the concession agreement and claimed termination payment from it.

The takeover of the 22.7 km-line was completed three days after Reliance Infrastructure announced its pull out from the service.

The Board of Directors of DMRC had met to discuss the letter of Reliance (DAMEPL) dated June 27 intimating that they would stop operating the Airport Line from the night of June 30, and concluded that the notice was in violation of the Concession Agreement and the ongoing arbitration proceedings.

However, the Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Limited (DAMEPL), a Special Purpose Vehicle of Reliance Infrastructure Ltd (RInfra), has said that they terminated the Concession Agreement with DMRC for the airport metro line nearly 9 months back, vide its notice dated 8th October, 2012.