Misalignment in Kochi metro track detected in Pathadipalam

‘The minor misalignment in track was caused by a minor settlement of foundations at Pier No 347’

The area around pillar 347 of the Kochi Metro at Pathadipalam that has been barricaded, following a misalignment on the track, said to be due to settlement of the foundation. | Photo Credit: Vibhu. H

Kochi Metro trains are moving with speed restrictions along the tracks on either side of the viaduct over pillar number 347, following the detection of a marginal slant of the tracks.

The viaduct here became operational in 2017 when the metro’s 12-km Aluva-Palarivattom corridor was commissioned. KMRL sources said the slant came to light during routine inspection of the corridor.

‘The minor misalignment in track was caused by a minor settlement of foundations at Pier No 347. This could possibly be on account of the likely changes in the properties of subsoil and bearing strata, marginally affecting the substructure, and causing the misalignment in track. A speed restriction has been imposed, while a detailed study is on to evaluate and plan the repair work. An expert agency would be engaged for geotechnical and geophysical investigation,’ says a press release by the metro agency.

‘The observed settlement of the foundations is not critical. The expert study that has been contemplated is for identifying the correct cause, and to plan preventive measures. This will not affect regular metro operations,’ it says.

The 12-km corridor was built by L&T – the contracting firm to which DMRC – the agency which executed the 25-km Aluva-Pettah viaduct, entrusted the work. The two-year defect liability period (DLP) for the viaduct passing through Pathadipalam expired in 2019. The development calls for more frequent inspection of civil and other works on the metro corridor, sources said.