KOCHI: Concern is rising among people as the KMRL has begun digging soil near the Pathadipalam metro pillar number 347, which had developed a slight tilt in 2022. The inspection spanning from pillars 347 to 350 is being done by erecting barricades on both sides. The tilt, observed in 2022, led to a marginal deviation in the tracks adjacent to the viaduct over a pillar near Pathadipalam, resulting in a reduction in train speeds and inconvenience to passengers.
KMRL officials clarified that the ongoing study is a routine one and aimed at comprehending the underlying cause of the tilt before initiating work on the phase 2 project from JLN Stadium to Infopark Kakkanad. “The engineering team of KMRL is conducting a geotechnical study near Pathadipalam metro station, where pillar no. 347 developed a small tilt in 2022. The study aims to understand the cause of the slant and assess soil characteristics before commencing work on phase 2,” said a KMRL official.
“The problem has been identified. The inspection will be going on for two weeks and the passengers will not face any issues owing to it,” said the official. In 2022, when the slant was identified, the authorities clarified that a minor elevation of foundations at pillar 347, possibly on account of the likely changes in the properties of subsoil and bearing strata, affected the substructure and caused a minor misalignment on the track.