KOCHI: Much to the relief of motorists, the reconstruction of the Palarivattom flyover is reaching its final stage. The structure is being rebuilt after a prolonged controversy over the poor quality of construction. If everything goes as per plan, the refurbished flyover will be ready by the end of March, within just six months after the work started.
Helmed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) with the support of Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS), 102 girders and 17 spans which were dismantled after finding structural deficiencies, have already been replaced. Pillars and pier caps were strengthened with RCC jacketing.
Though the government had allotted nine months (till June 2021) to complete work, the metro agency hopes to open the newly-built structure at the earliest. “We have replaced all girders and spans razed for reconstruction. The aim is to wrap up work at the earliest,” said DMRC official.
The officials are currently looking into concreting the deck slabs. “We are now moving onto slab concreting, parapet construction, painting and other miscellaneous work. We will also conduct a load test soon. Once tarring begins, we will be able to fix the issues of the approach road as well,” said the official.
The reconstruction work is being monitored by the DRMC principal advisor E Sreedharan. The dismantling work began on September 28, 2020. The old flyover, commissioned by Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala Limited (RBDCK) in 2016, was closed in May 2019 after 2,000 cracks were detected on its girders and pier caps.
In September 2019, the state government had entrusted the DMRC with the reconstruction. Work was to commence on October 1, 2019. But, the petitions filed by contractors and allied organisations at the High Court with a demand to conduct a load test delayed the reconstruction by almost a year.
The pandemic added to the existing delay. Eventually, the Supreme Court pronounced its verdict for reconstruction on September 22, 2020. Now, the state government has asked RDS Projects Ltd, the contractor responsible for the faulty construction of Palarivattom flyover, to pay `24.52 crore towards the reconstruction cost.
Timeline
Administrative sanction for flyover construction: October 2013
Contract agreement signed: March 2014
Foundation stone laid: June 2014
Commencement of construction: September 2014
Inauguration: October 12, 2016
20 potholes detected on the surface: July 2017
Assessment of RBDCK which found deficiencies: November 21, 2017
First study by private agency (assigned by NHAI) which detected cracks: March 13, 2018
Second study by private agency assigned by NHAI: September 21, 2018
Closed for repair work after IIT Madras report: May 1, 2019
State govt assigns E Sreedharan for detailed study: June 13, 2019
Sreedharan submits report with recommendation of reconstruction: July 3, 2019
State government decides reconstruction: September 16, 2019
HC halts reconstruction plan on the petition filed by the contractor: September 24, 2019
HC directs govt not to reconstruct without its permission: October 10, 2019
HC verdict to conduct load test: November 21, 2019
Government challenges HC verdict in SC: February 7, 2020
Government demands immediate hearing: August 22
SC verdict on reconstruction: September 22
Dismantling and reconstruction commences: Sept 28
Proposed completion: June 2021
Expected Launch: March 2021
Factfile
Project cost of old structure Rs 42 crore
Total width: 17m
Total number of spans: 19
Number of lanes: 4
Total length of flyover: 750 metres
Major reconstruction work: Replacing 102 girders and 17 spans with precast structures, RCC jacketing of pillars and pier caps, and relaying deck slabs
Estimated cost for reconstruction: Rs 18.71 crore