Kochi: Civil works of the Kochi Metro Rail, which have to be completed by the end of this year, are lagging behind schedule.
The contractors were supposed to finish piling along the Aluva-Maharaja’s college stretch before the onset of monsoon, but they say that works have been hit by heavy summer rain and shortage of workers. If civil works are not completed by December, the systems and signalling works will be delayed.
Though a high-level meeting chaired by the chief minister recently had instructed the Metro agencies to increase the workforce, the contractors have not done that. The L&T was asked to recruit 1,500 more workers and Soma 600.
Sources at Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said that the contractor agencies were recruiting more labourers in a phased manner as it was not easy to identify experienced workers within a short period.
“The existing number of workers can’t take up the huge volume of works at the Metro sites on a daily basis. It is difficult to meet the deadline even after working round the clock,” sources said.
The agencies also face depletion in the existing workforce as several migrant workers have moved out in search of jobs in their own states.
Meanwhile, there are complaints that the Metro contractors have deliberately slowed down the works.
According to DMRC sources, there are several other reasons for the slowdown of construction. Works at the recently acquired land from Seematti and at another plot on MG Road have been stalled as the landowners are not permitting to demolish the structures in the area.
However, according to Kochi Metro Rail Limited authorities, demolition of the building on MG Road is underway and there were no such issues on the land owned by Seematti
