Kochi: Norms for high-rise buildings along Metro corridor to get tough

The move follows the tumbling down of an under-construction building near the Metro station at Kaloor the other day, which led to partial suspension of Metro services.
An aerial view of the site where the under-construction building collapsed in Kaloor on Thursday. The accident resulted in traffic chaos on Friday | Albin mathew
An aerial view of the site where the under-construction building collapsed in Kaloor on Thursday. The accident resulted in traffic chaos on Friday | Albin mathew

KOCHI: Hitherto, the construction of high-rise buildings along the Metro corridor will prove a demanding task since the Corporation is planning to frame new building rules in this regard for enhanced safety. The move follows the tumbling down of an under-construction building near the Metro station at Kaloor the other day, which led to partial suspension of Metro services.

It is learnt the Corporation is planning to implement the new regulations along with the existing Kerala Municipal Building Rules (KMBR).

"Under the KMBR, the floor area ratio in the city is four, while it is two in other areas," said Mayor Soumini Jain. "The Corporation can't effect any new changes to the existing rules. But the construction of high-rises along the Metro stretch can be closely monitored by the Corporation even after granting the required permission. For this, the technical committee under the Corporation will inspect each building during the different stages of construction and prepare a report at regular intervals. If we detect any threat to public safety, a stop memo will be issued right away."

Nonetheless, Jain said new rules can be framed only with the council's permission. "For effecting changes in the rules, we need the government's sanction. The next council will discuss the new regulations for the construction of high-rises to ensure safety. Based on the discussion, a recommendation will be sent to the government," she said.

Meanwhile, well over 24 hours after the massive structure came crashing down, there is no consensus on what actually led to the collapse. While one section, including construction engineers believe gushing water from the building site following the rupturing of a pipeline is to blame, others say unscientific construction brought on the mishap.

"The inadequate use of iron rods in the concrete pillar may be the other reason for the collapse. There is no doubt the construction firm had an inkling of what was coming or else the workers would still been there when the building came down," said an engineer on condition of anonymity.

Interestingly, the Corporation authorities squarely blamed the Kerala Water Authority for the mishap. "The inflow of water to the construction area weakened the surface soil. The concrete structure collapsed where the KWA pipe passed through. If they had replaced the old pipes, the incident would not have happened in the first place," said a top Corporation officer.

Additionally, the district administration's and police department's inability to deal with the crisis drew flak from several quarters. According to the public, except diverting the traffic in the region, they had done precious little to ensure the safety of nearby buildings.

"The city's tallest building is located just opposite the collapsed building. Until now, the authorities have done nothing to assess the incident's possible fallout on the building. If something happens to the building it will result in a massive tragedy unlike any seen in the state," said a real estate developer.

Expert panel to investigate

Kochi: The district administration has decided to constitute an expert committee to look into the reasons that led to the collapse of the under-construction building at Kaloor. The decision was taken at the meeting chaired by District Collector K Mohammed Y Safeerulla on Friday. "The committee will investigate whether the company had indeed followed due procedures while carrying out the construction and the land was suitable for the construction of a high-rise building. The team will be constituted on Saturday and its members will be decided on the same day," he said. According to him, the restoration of the road, pipeline and power supply will be completed within four days. The stretch will be opened to traffic only after the road is strengthened.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com