Tension gripped the city on Thursday night when the basement of a building under construction at Kaloor collapsed, threatening the structural stability of nearby buildings and roads, besides forcing the suspension of the Kochi metro services.
The incident happened around 8.30 p.m. when the two-storey deep basement parking area of the building of an upcoming textile major caved in during the course of piling work being undertaken using excavators.
Following the incident, occupants of a section of Gokulam Park Hotel and another three-storey commercial building, which reportedly developed a slant to either side of the upcoming building were evacuated as a precautionary measure. As a crack appeared near the road in the impact of the collapse, traffic between Kaloor and Kacherippady was also fully suspended.
At least three Kochi metro services were suspended midway through following the incident. The last train from Aluva to Maharaja’s terminated service at Palarivattom, while a train bound for Aluva from Maharaja’s suspended service at MG Road. Another train bound for Aluva never took off from Maharaja’s station.
“We have restricted the metro service between Aluva and Palarivattom on Friday, while the road between Kaloor and Kacherippady will also be out of bounds for traffic for fear of the crack on the road further widening,” said District Collector K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla, who was among the first to reach the site.
Track experts of the Kochi metro are already at work, and the service up to Maharaja’s will be resumed only after their assessment as the incident took place close to the metro pillars.
Structural anomalies
Hibi Eden, MLA, who rushed to the scene, attributed the accident to structural anomalies in construction. He said the site identified for the third extension of the culvert in front of PVS Hospital had developed a crack, and that if it had already been constructed, it would have collapsed in the impact.
Mr. Eden said traffic in the area would be diverted, and shops and other establishments would be advised not to function on Friday. A Kerala Water Authority (KWA) pipeline also burst in the impact of the collapse, and the thick jet of water further worsened the situation. “I have instructed the Water Authority to stop pumping through the pipeline,” Mr. Eden said.
Assistant Divisional Fire Officer V. Sidhakumar said the evacuation of people from the two nearby buildings was made as a precautionary measure, while directions have been given to block water supply through the Aluva-Thammanam pipeline.
Two fire tenders from the fire and rescue station at Gandhinagar led by assistant station officer T.K. Suresh also reached the scene.
