The Hindu 23.05.2013
CMRL asked to submit data on heritage buildings
The Chennai Corporation Council has asked Chennai Metro
Rail Limited(CMRL) to share its data on the structural condition of
heritage buildings near the path of the Metro Rail project.
According
to officials of Chennai Corporation, CMRL has been delaying the
submission of the monthly report based on compilation of such data for
the past 11 months. Councillors reiterated the need for the report being
shared with Chennai Corporation on a monthly basis so that the impact
of the vibrations on heritage buildings could be assessed.
Responding
to a question by deputy mayor P. Benjamin on Wednesday, Mayor Saidai
Duraisamy said CMRL was “yet to submit a safety report on heritage
buildings such as Ripon Buildings.”
“We have requested the CMRL to share the data. We will wait,” said the Mayor.
The
data collected every day by CMRL from structures such as Ripon
Buildings and Victoria Public Hall continues to be a closely guarded
secret even after repeated reminders by the civic body.
“They
collect data on a daily basis. Why can’t they share it with us? The
safety report would help us take measures to ensure that Ripon Buildings
is structurally safe,” said a councillor.
CMRL
officials claimed that they collected data from eight different devices
that have been installed on the premises of Ripon Buildings. CMRL
employees visit the premises regularly on a daily basis to collect this
data.
The equipment used to assess conditions, CMRL
officials said, include ground settlement meter, rod extension meter,
inclinometer, building settlement marker, tilt meter, crack meter,
optical target and tape extension meter.
CMRL
officials reiterated they were “committed to protection of heritage
buildings.” CMRL workers have been assessing technical parameters
meticulously and accordingly, altering the speed of machinery used in
the course of operations on the premises of Ripon Buildings.
The
data to be shared by CMRL will help Chennai Corporation assess the
safety of its heritage buildings by measuring minute movement across
surface cracks and joints, vertical settlement, soil properties and
small changes from horizontal level.