BMRCL was on an alert mode though

BMRCL was on an alert mode though

Senthalir S. Bangalore



Monday's accident at the Namma Metro site happened in spite of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited's (BMRCL) efforts to avoid such incidents.
The recent mishaps at the Delhi Metro sites, which left six people dead, and the subsequent discovery of 18 hairline fractures on cantilever piers in the national capital, had put the BMRCL in an alert mode.
Additional measures were immediately taken to monitor work on the piers and the segment casting. Also, the contractors called their experts from Delhi to monitor the work.
A panel that was set up to prepare a report on the Delhi metro mishap that occurred on July 12, reportedly blamed the contractor. Panel member Professor AK Nagpal said the main focus of the report was design deficiency and the construction material used along that stretch.
To monitor work on the beams, Navayuga, the contractor for Reach 1, called the senior engineer who has worked for over three years with the Delhi metro.
"BMRCL has given us instructions to take required precautions and constantly check on the quality," said a senior engineer with Navayuga.
He added, "Only when there is a two feet deep cut in the pillars is it referred to as a crack. It is very dangerous if such cracks are formed. But in Bangalore, we keep a constant check on quality. A third person has been appointed to check the quality of materials, after it has been given a go-ahead from both BMRCL and the contractor."
A site engineer, who did not wish to be named, said that instructions have been given to check positioning of segments, concrete proportion and erection of piers.