If all goes well, the piling work for the first metro station for the Kochi Metro Rail project will begin within two days.
According to sources, the barricades for the station works is expected to be put up on Monday, after the exact location is identified. “We are conducting a small survey to study the most feasible location after which we will start the barricading,” officials said.
As per the plan, the Metro stationis expected to come up near the Kaloor bus stand. This is the first location where the piling work for the Metro Rail will commence. The next station identified for piling work is Aluva.
In the other stretches taken up by L and T and Era Constructions, only test piling work is still on. Till now, 47 piles have been constructed.
Once the area is barricaded, the construction of the viaducts will begin followed by the station. Since the station will be constructed on the top portion adjacent to the viaducts, much space won’t be taken up for barricading.
“The barricades won’t pose much of a problem to the public. Traffic will be streamlined. Initially, only one side will be barricaded which will take about 4 m.
Barricading along the MG Road stretch between Chennai Silks and Abad Plaza is over.
Girder Above Railway Line this Week
The girders above the railway line on the North RoB is likely to be installed on Tuesday. According to railway officials, the DMRC has sent requests seeking permission for the same. Railway Area Manager P L Ashok Kumar said that the Railways will give the sanction for the work on Monday. Once the sanction is obtained, the DMRC can install the girders. The DMRC had initially planned to install the girders on September 22. “ We expect to receive the nod from the Railways soon. Streamlining of rail traffic is important when the girders are being installed. Most probably, the two girders will be placed on two separate days,” DMRC officials said. The work of the girders constructed at Manappattiparambu has been already completed.
The longest girders of the North RoB will be installed atop the railway line. Once this is over, DMRC officials said that more than 80 per cent of the work on the bridge will be completed.
Two weeks ago, four concrete girders were installed at the northern end of the RoB. The RoB is expected to be commissioned by November first week.
Retaining walls have been constructed on both sides of the landings of the bridge.
The tarring work will begin soon. The estimate of the work on the second and third lanes of the bridge, including the main bridge, is Rs 80 crore.
Traffic Diversion
As part of the unloading of the 125 feet-15 width-55 tonne girders from the Manappattiparambu yard to the Reserve Bank,
near the RoB, traffic will be restricted across the North RoB from Monday 10 pm to 5.30 am on Tuesday. The vehicles will have to take the AL Jacob RoB or Pulleppady RoB, a release from the Traffic Police West Assistant Commissioner stated.