The damages to the pillars supporting the metro track bridge near Trinity Station on the Purple Line of Bengaluru metro is more severe than expected, and repair work may need shutting down of services for an entire day on a weekend. After a partial shutdown on Wednesday, the frequency of trains has been reduced -- from one every five minutes, to one every 15 minutes. This is because the trains have been slowed down, and can only operate at a maximum of 20 kmph, down from the usual 45 kmph.

Since Wednesday, repair work is being carried out from 11pm till 7am, however, it now seems that would not suffice.

Ajay Seth, Managing Director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation, told TNM, “We are still formulating the plan. We will inform our passengers well in advance. There is no chance that services will be disrupted this weekend. It might be that train services will be most likely affected on next weekend. But a final decision on this yet to be taken.”

When asked if BMRCL is going to take action against the contractor or inspecting officials, Seth said, “This (damages) is not something very common but also not something which is totally unheard of. Wherever there is large scale in-situ concretisation there are some instances of these fault formations. This shows there is a lot more care needed on whatever we do in the future. It is not a defect that was known at the point of construction. These things come to surface much later.”

He added, “Moreover, the contractor servicing period is well over. The construction was finished in 2010, and service period expired in 2012. At this point of time, all our energy and thoughts are not behind what could have been done differently in 2010 but it is about what is to be done now. Other things can wait.”

An independent expert roped in by the BMRCL, told TNM, “Experts from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation have arrived and till tomorrow, we are carrying out non-destructive tests to figure out the extent of the damage to the piers. Based on the results, we will elect how to go about the repair work. Right now, the damage is not at all dangerous but leaving it alone may lead it to turning into very, very dangerous. Any judgement before the tests will be premature.”

Background

Honeycomb is a formation of vacuum between reinforced cement structures in a concrete slab were spotted during routine inspection of the tracks. Later it was declared that other than the honeycomb formation, the slider or the concrete slabs supported by Pillar no 155, had moved from its original position.

Read: Repair works on Bengaluru Metro near Trinity station, purple trains face delay

The Chief Minister who was apprised of the issue, had ordered officials to stop services if required in the interest of the safety of the passengers.

The expert cited difficulty on pinpointing the reason over formation of honeycomb saying there could be multiple factors leading to it during the time of construction.