Kochi Metro Rail Ltd begins restoration works on pillar

KOCHI: Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) on Monday began the restoration works on pier no. 347 of Kochi Metro at Pathadipalam where a settlement of the pier was detected over a month ago.
A geo-technical study had revealed that there exists a gap between the piles and rock beneath the pillar at Pathadipalam.
The process of marking the area where new piles are to be fixed is held on Monday and the repair works would be carried out round the clock, on a war footing.
It is learnt that the pillar would be strengthened by fixing new piles. Four piles with one metre diameter would be erected at a distance of half metre from the existing piles of the 347th pillar.
The four new piles will be unified with the existing pile caps. Above the existing pile cap, a new pile cap with a large plate would be built.
It was last month that KMRL authorities noticed the misalignment on the Metro track caused by a settlement of foundation at pier no. 347.
A detailed study conducted beneath the pillar found that the bottom part of the piles of the pillar is not reaching up to the rock in the region and there is a gap of one metre between the rock and the pile.
KMRL immediately contacted the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the contractor L&T, and the designing team Egis.
KMRL is planning to complete the repair works before the onset of monsoon.
Police to regulate traffic
The barricading around the pillar at Pathadipalam and its adjacent pillars for the repair works caused traffic snarls at the location on Monday morning. The issue was resolved by afternoon, as the traffic police suggested rearranging of the barricades. Police have also banned parking of vehicles in the area.
Police have imposed curbs on direct entry of vehicles from the road in front of Kinder Hospital into the national highway. A total of 15 police personnel were deployed to regulate traffic, while bus stops on either side have been relocated.