Work on the first pile of Kochi metro near Changampuzha Park in Edappally was completed on Sunday, two days after metro work was inaugurated.
Each 1.80-metre-wide pillar, built every 25 metres on the metro route, needs to be supported by four piles. Each 200-metre barricaded stretch will have eight pillars.
On Monday, L&T, the contractor deployed by DMRC, will begin test piling at the Pathadipalam metro station site on the Kalamassery-Edappally stretch. Test piling has already begun at Mamangalam where the metro’s Palarivattom station will be set up. An eight-metre-wide stretch at the centre of the Aluva-Edappally highway would be barricaded up to 200 metres soon for piling, sources associated with the work said.
According to DMRC, the barricades will remain for 75 days, till girders are placed over the eight pillars.
“The rain will not slowdown work and work sites will function through day and night to meet the three-year deadline,” sources said.
Four deputy chief engineers will oversee the work on the four stretches between Aluva and Pettah. Two chief engineers will supervise the Aluva-international stadium and stadium-Pettah stretches. The contractor is expected to deploy more men and materials at work sites in the coming days. The casting of pier caps and U-girders can begin at metro yards only after sufficient land is acquired. Land owned by HMT at Kalamassery and Cochin Port Trust on Willingdon island were identified for the purpose. Levelling the land and establishing a field office might take a few months.
Members of the public can take up traffic and related issues with DMRC at 0484-2323200.
