31Notice of accidents and enquiries

(1) If any accident occurs during the construction of any metro railway or at any stage subsequent thereto as a consequence of such construction and the accident results in, or is likely to have resulted in, loss of human being or animal or damage to any property, it shall be the duty of the metro railway administration to give notice to the Central Government of the occurrence of any such loss or damage in such form and within such time as may be prescribed.

(2) On receipt of a notice under sub-section (1), the Central Government may, if it thinks fit, appoint a commission to enquire into the accident and report as to--

(a) the cause of such accident;

(b) the manner in which and the extent to which the provisions of this Act or any other Act for the time being in force in so far as those provisions regulate and govern the safety of any person, animal or property, have been complied with.

(3) The commission appointed under sub-section (2), while holding an enquiry, shall have all the powers of a civil court while trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), in respect of the following matters, namely:--

(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath;

(b) requiring the discovery or production of any document;

(c) reception of evidence on affidavits;

(d) requisitioning any public record from any court or office;

(e) issuing commission for examination of witnesses.