KMRL to check strength of select metro pillars on Aluva-stadium stretch

KOCHI

Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) will verify the strength of select pillars in the Kochi metro’s 13-km Aluva-International Stadium corridor, in the wake of the foundation of pillar number 347 at Pathadipalam sinking by 2 cm, sources said.

The sinking of the foundation and a subsequent misalignment of the track above by as much as 9 mm came to light during an inspection by the metro agency. Many reasons were attributed for the sinking, including of the four piles under the pillar not being anchored into the rock underneath. This aspect came to light following a month-long geo-technical study conducted at the site.

The Aluva-International Stadium corridor was built by L&T, the contracting firm deputed by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the agency which executed the construction of the 25-km Aluva-Pettah metro corridor. “A few select pillars in the corridor will be inspected on the basis of data [about piling and other technical details of different pillars that support the metro viaduct] to be doubly sure of their structural integrity. A geo technical investigation will be done if there is any suspicion of sinking or any other fault,” sources said.

An inspection of the 500-odd metro pillars in the corridor will be cumbersome. Any sinking will reflect as an undulation on the track, they added.

The frequency of trains in the Pathadipalam-Aluva corridor was reduced to one every 20 minutes as compared to one train every seven minutes in the rest of the corridor, in the wake of work being taken up a week ago to reinforce the pile cap by supporting it with new piles.