ATTACK ON LABOURERS HITS KOCHI METRO YARD WORK

Five injured workers hospitalised

Five workers engaged in earth filling at Kochi Metro’s upcoming coach maintenance yard at Muttom were hospitalised after a group of people attacked them.

The Aluva police said that a group of people attacked them alleging that dust was emanating from the road leading to the yard whenever lorries carrying mud passed by. A case has been registered and a probe is on. Contractors used to sprinkle water on the road to check dust in the locality. It appears that this was not done on Friday and Saturday following which there was an altercation which led to the assault. No arrest has been made, police said.

A DMRC official said that metro works would get delayed if people took law into their hands. “We restored the road leading to the yard and it is in good condition. Eighty per cent of the work is over and the deadline is March 12. With strikes and agitations delaying work, earth filling might be over only by March end. The issue has been taken up with the District Collector.”

Quarry strike

In the meantime, Metro works suffered for the fifth day in succession because of the ongoing strike by quarry and crusher owners.

“Lack of availability of broken rock and manufactured sand has resulted in over 1,000 workers and machinery idling at work sites and casting yards.

This includes 32 hydraulic rigs deployed between Aluva and Pettah, each of which has a daily rent of around Rs.1 lakh,” DMRC sources said. As a result, contractors are citing their helplessness in completing piling and pillar works on time.