MG Road faces closure for six months
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will seek sanction from the district administration for closing down the 600-metre stretch of the MG Road for Kochi Metro Rail construction. Sanction will be sought for closing the stretch between Madhava Pharmacy junction and Jos junction for six months.
According to the DMRC, a lot of time can be saved if the work is allowed to be carried out in one go rather the usual barricading of 200-metre stretches to implement the work.
“There’s plenty of work to be done on MG Road for Kochi metro rail construction. Other than the cables we have no clear idea about the utility lines passing through the area. We can carry out utility shifting, widening of the MG Road and the construction of viaducts on the MG Road simultaneously if the 600-metre stretch is closed down for six months. The traffic can be diverted through Chittoor Road and other pocket roads till the work is completed. If we go for barricading 200 metres like in other areas, it will take nearly 24 months to complete the entire MG Road which would cause more traffic chaos,” said a DMRC spokesperson.
According to him, the DMRC has requested the authorities to hand over the stretch to them only after Onam as it should not affect the public or commercial establishments during the festival season.
The construction of the Kochi Metro Rail on MG Road will be carried out in three phases. In the first phase, 600 metres from Madhava Pharmacy junction to Padma junction will be covered and the 600 metres between Padma to Mullassery Canal Road and Mullassery Canal and Jos junction will be carried in the second and third phases, respectively.
Once the district administration’s sanction is obtained the DMRC will finalise whether the work should be carried out simultaneously on each 600-metre stretch.
If the sanction is given, the entire MG Road will be blocked and the DMRC will also request the Traffic police to make alternate arrangements. The DMRC has also requested the district administration for sanction to carry out the inspection to identify the utility lines passing underneath.
“We are planning to carry out the inspection on MG Road on June 29 and June 30. Inspection will also be carried out to identify the utility lines between Shenoy Junction and Jos Junction on July 13 and 14,” he said.