Civil works on Muttom metro yard to begin next month.

Civil works on the coach maintenance yard of the Kochi Metro in Muttom will begin next month. Official sources said an engineering team from the Kolkata-based company (McNally Bharat Engineering Co. Ltd.), which had awarded with the work, has begun the preparatory works by conducting a survey at the project site. 'The works on the Rs.70 crore-project is expected to begin immediately after the opening of the 300-metre road linking the highway to the metro yard next month and the plan is to get the coaching depot at Muttom ready by December 2015,'' they said.

On completion of the survey, a detailed project report will be prepared and submitted for approval to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. The works will start after setting up an office and plants at the location and the civil works will begin with the construction of cable duct and stabling yards, which will be followed by the construction of workshops.

The coach depot at Muttom has to be ready for receiving the coaches, which will be brought by large trailer trucks to the depot.

Meanwhile, works on the 24-metre railway underpass on the new road to facilitate the movement of Kochi metro vehicles to the project site has reached the final stages. The subway, connecting the highway to the metro yard at Muttom, consists of three pre-stressed concrete boxes having a width of 8.5 metres and height clearance of 5.5 metres each.

At present, access to the site is through Aluva and on the southern side, through NAD Road. The new road, to be constructed at a cost of Rs.4.5 crore, will provide direct access to the Muttom yard and enable transportation of construction materials to the coach maintenance depot and rolling stock in the future.

Since the area is prone to water-logging, the DMRC is also planning to install an automated water pumping system in the subway.


THE HINDU