Metro civil work may be delayed; barricades on Kochi roads to stay

May 03, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 09:29 am IST - KOCHI:

A notice was issued recently to metro’s civil contractors to speed up work since the construction of stations was running behind schedule.– File photo

A notice was issued recently to metro’s civil contractors to speed up work since the construction of stations was running behind schedule.– File photo

With shortage of labour holding up work, the deadline for completing Kochi metro’s civil works might be revised yet again – from October to December. This will, in turn, extend the presence of barricades on the metro corridor by another six months.

The initial deadline to complete civil works by June had been extended by four months early this year.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) sources said a notice was issued recently to metro’s civil contractors – L&T and Soma Constructions — to speed up work since the construction of stations was running behind schedule.

“They cite shortage of workers and since most workers are from northern India, they prefer work sites nearer home. Based on our direction, L&T mobilised 1,500 more workers a month ago. But 700 of them returned, affecting the last lap of civil works on Aluva-International Stadium stretch. Soma has promised to add another 150 workers since its work on the International Stadium-Maharaja’s College Ground stretch is suffering delay,” DMRC sources said.

With hardly a month left for the monsoon, the metro agency is keen on completing a major chunk of civil works in the 18-km-long metro corridor by the month-end. “Worker output might halve during the rainy season since they will have to take a break during heavy spells of rain. It will impact work on the metro stations which is labour intensive, unlike machine-dependent work for the viaduct. This will delay works like installing rails and signals since they have to be integrated at stations,” sources said.

Dismantling of portion of buildings (especially on the Palarivattom-Kaloor stretch and at the northern end of M.G. Road) had to gain momentum since shifting drains as part of road-widening works must be completed before the rainy season, they said. On the inordinate delay in commencing dismantling work on the Jos Junction-Ernakulam Junction railway station and Vyttila-Pettah stretches, sources pointed to the attitude of a few land owners who were demanding inflated sums as compensation. “The Rs. 52-lakh per cent package accepted by the government is in itself good compensation since realty prices have been stagnating for the past couple of years,” sources said.

Road widening

Responding to concerns over the delay in dismantling buildings and land acquisition, the managing director of Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), Elias George, said a strategy would be worked out at metro’s land-acquisition review meeting slated for Monday. “KMRL will commence Vyttila-Pettah widening shortly, utilising the Rs. 470-crore loan availed from the Ernakulam District Cooperative Bank for land acquisition. A clear picture on payment of compensation and details such as inviting tenders for widening work will be finalised on Monday,” Mr. George said.

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