Rain compounds woes on Metro Rail work on Oliphenta

Preparatory work to be completed by August 15

On Wednesday — Day Two of the Oliphenta bridge on the other end of the Secunderabad railway station being closed for traffic to facilitate work on putting in place the 1,150-tonne steel bridge high over the railway tracks — the rain compounded the woes of pedestrians and officials.

Though the task of handling the scores of pedestrians and bystanders and regulation of vehicles on either side of the bridge was tough officials of the Traffic Police, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and those of the L & T Metro Rail appeared to be comfortable.

Area clear

They kept the area under the Oliphenta bridge clear to facilitate what was easily the biggest component of the ongoing works on what is described as the crowning jewel of the City of Pearls.

However, the rains made the going very difficult for all involved. Electrical engineers involved in the works had to make doubly sure that the power wires were well insulated. They took every precaution to prevent leakage of electricity and avoid people getting into contact with them through the drainage water and the rain water that was flowing under the bridge.

Falling debris

“Tarpaulins have been put in place over the steel structure and wherever the work is on to prevent any bits of steel or debris that may fall and possibly injure the pedestrians,” said Chief Engineer (Construction), M.Y. Kondalu and Head of the L & T’s Project, M. Sravan. The two senior personnel said that preparatory works were expected to be completed by August 15, after which the mammoth bridge would slowly start to be moved over the railway tracks.

Mr. Kondalu, a former Chief Engineer in the Railways, added that once the structure was moved and in place over the railway tracks, the dismantling of the front and rear noses would be taken up. “In all, there are about 200 personnel of the L & T Metro Rail involved in the work, apart from the scores of Traffic police personnel and those of the GHMC,” he said, adding that this was the ultimate example of what could be described as a perfect example of coordination.

Line block

Meanwhile, in contrast to an earlier order imposing a line block at the Oliphenta bridge that would result in cancellation/partial cancellation/rescheduling/rescheduling and regulation of some trains including MMTS services, the railways did not implement the order. This was because the bad weather, including the rains led to officials taking up other works like covering the towering cranes and the steel structure with tarpaulin.