KOCHI: The Kochi Metro construction works were disrupted yet again on Saturday with a section of local labourers striking work even as the DMRC warned it cannot afford such acts in the “race against deadline”.
“Certain labour unions disrupted work over delay in salary payment by contractor L&T. However, they even compelled workers in other sites to strike work. The construction works at Muttom Yard, track laying activities and civil works were affected,” said a DMRC official.
Earlier main contractors L&T informed that salary payment would be delayed following a breakdown of server at its chief office at Parur, Chennai, in the recent flood there.
“Ours is a centralized process and hence all accounting are done from our Chennai office. The systems are being retrieved and we promised to make salary payments by Monday,” sources said.
The labourers even compelled their counterparts in other sites managed by companies like Ircon too to strike work, the DMRC said.
“Faced with a tight deadline, the DMRC had geared full resources to complete the work as per the deadline. However, works were affected since Saturday night. We’ve requested police protection and also took up the matter with the district administration and the KMRL. Such disruptions could derail Metro operation plans,” the DMRC official said.
The development comes a day after KMRL MD Elias George expressed unhappiness over pace of the Muttom Metro yard construction, saying the trial running scheduled for February first week would be further delayed if things go like this.
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