The impending monsoon will not affect the preparatory and piling works to construct the viaduct and stations for the Kochi metro, which will be ready by May 2015.
Sources associated with the project said Larsen and Toubro Ltd was gearing up to kickstart the work on the viaduct and six stations in the Kalamassery-International Stadium stretch by the month-end. The work which the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) estimates would cost Rs.400 crore was awarded to L&T in April.
The firm is likely to bag the contract for the viaduct and stations in the Aluva-Kalamassery reach as well. It is learnt that the company cited a rate lesser than the DMRC’s tender estimate of Rs.353 crore.
L&T played a key role in constructing the Chennai metro, the Delhi metro and its phase three.
As a single entity can undertake the construction of only two metro projects, the DMRC is expected to finalise the firm(s) to undertake the construction of the International Stadium-South Railway Station and railway station-Pettah stretches in another 10 days.
NH widening
At present, the DMRC is awaiting the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) nod to begin widening narrow portions of the Aluva-Edappally stretch of NH 47.
Land acquisition will be minimal since plenty of ‘puramboke’ land is available on either side of the highway. Encroachers on the government land will be evicted to pave the way for four-lane traffic when piling and related works begin for the project.
As part of this, barricades will be erected 8 metres from the road’s centre, for a length of approximately 200 metres.
Such barricading will be done in up to five places in each of the four stretches. Once a stretch is barricaded, the portion will be opened to traffic and work on the adjacent stretch will begin.
Steps would be taken to ensure four-lane traffic along Aluva-Edappally and two-lane traffic in narrower portions in the city hub, sources said.
Once the highway is widened, the DMRC will begin relocating electricity posts from the central median. Piling and related works will follow. With the metro expected to be commissioned in 2016, works like installing rails, the third traction, signals, passenger amenities. etc., will be taken up in the last 12 months.
