KOCHI: Having detected a marginal slant of the tracks on either side of the viaduct over a pillar near Pathadipalam, the Kochi Metro has restricted the speed of its trains while passing through the area. In an official statement issued here on Thursday, a Kochi Metro officer said the observed flaw is not critical. “The slant was identified during a routine inspection of the corridor. An expert study has already been launched to identify the cause, and to plan preventive measures. It will not affect the metro operations,” the officer said.
Further, the Kochi Metro authorities clarified that a minor elevation of foundations at pier 347, possibly on account of the likely changes in the properties of subsoil and bearing strata, affected the substructure and caused a minor misalignment in the track.
“A speed restriction has been imposed, and a detailed study for evaluation and repair planning is in progress. An expert agency for geotechnical and geophysical investigation has been engaged,” he added.
The viaduct at Pathadipalam became operational in 2017 when the first stretch of Kochi Metro, between Aluva and Palarivattom, was commissioned. The first phase of the metro—between Aluva to Petta—was implemented by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). That particular stretch was constructed by L&T.
No official communication yet, says Metroman E Sreedharan, who was the principal adviser to DMRC, said he is yet to get any official communication from the Kochi Metro on the reported slant of the tracks.
“If I get any official communication from KMRL, I am always ready to look into the issue. As an engineer, it is my duty and I am happy to provide the necessary help from my side. Many officers who were involved in the first phase of construction are now part of KMRL. They too have good knowledge about the technical details of the particular stretch,” Sreedharan said.