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Fresh protests stall Metro work

Protesters demand compensation for land
Kochi: Indicating more delays in the completion of the prestigious Kochi Metro Rail on time, works at the Muttom casting yard have come to a halt for the second day on Wednesday. After labour issues, protests by a section of land owners who had surrendered land for the casting yard obstructed the works from Tuesday. The protesters wanted the district administration to immediately release compensation for the land that has been taken over for the project as the authorities have failed to disburse the amount even after the earlier agreed deadline. The protestors threatened that no work would be allowed till their grievances were addressed.
In Muttom, 53 acres of land has already been acquired which the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has handed over to the contractor for construction of the casting yard. Of this, compensation for 10 acres of land, where land filling activities are progressing, is yet to be released to the landlords. According to the contractor Larsen and Toubro (L&T), works can’t be restarted unless the issues were sorted out.
Meanwhile, sources at the district administration said that the compensation for land owners would be released by next Tuesday.
During the last two months, works at Muttom yard have been hit several times due to labour issues and protests by local residents. Non-availability of raw materials like m-sand and granite chips due to the strike by quarry owners and crusher operators in February last also stalled the Metro Rail construction works.
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Under construction Metro pillar tilts
Kochi: The main steel frame of the Metro Rail pillar at Judges Avenue Kaloor which was under construction tilted after the concrete mix in it got washed away. The concrete mix within the frame got washed away after the steel plates erected at the sides moved apart. Though the heavy structure made of iron pipes bent to one side, it did not collapse.
Meanwhile, sources at Soma Constructions, the contractors, said that the defect could be rectified and there was no need for any apprehensions about its safety.
“The portion where the concrete mix has been loosened will be cut and removed and construction will be resumed,” sources said. In December last, the heavy steel frame structure erected for constructing the concrete pillar collapsed at the same work site.
Though the frame fell to one side, a major mishap was averted and only two workers sustained minor injuries. Despite the contractor’s claims, people are apprehensive over the safety of the structure and the risk of accidents at Metro sites.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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