1st Pier Cap Launched for Delhi Metro’s Ballabhgarh Extension
Crews from Larsen & Toubro & Apollo Cranes have successfully launched the first pier cap for the Delhi Metro Violet Line’s 3.205 km Escorts Mujesar – Ballabhgarh extension! This feat took place on June 11 on the NH2’s service road adjacent to Sector 6 (see approx location).
In December 2014, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had awarded a Rs. 197.78 crore contract for constructing this section’s viaduct & 2 stations at NCB Colony & Ballabhgarh (package CC-77) to L&T as part of the 160 km Phase 3 project. The stipulated completion date indicated is June 28 2016, but land acquisition issues and manpower diversion by the contractor to rapidly build Lucknow Metro’s priority corridor have caused major delays in executing the project.
The 1st pier on this section was cast in December 2015. View images of that along with other construction sites of this extension here: Delhi Metro Violet Line’s Extension to Ballabhgarh Starts Taking Shape
Alignment from Escorts Mujesar to Ballabhgarh – view Delhi Metro map & information
Photo Copyright: Arun Mahajan
Photo Copyright: Arun Mahajan
Photo Copyright: Arun Mahajan
Photo Copyright: Arun Mahajan
Photo Copyright: Arun Mahajan
Photo Copyright: Arun Mahajan
L&T & Appolo’s team with another pier cap ready to be launched – Photo Copyright: Arun Mahajan
The Violet Line between Escorts Mujesar & ITO stations is currently 35.175 km long. Once the 5.37 km ITO-Kashmere Gate opens by the end of this year and the Ballabhgarh extension in early 2018, the entire line will become 43.75 km long.
For more updates, check out the Delhi section of The Metro Rail Guy!
– TMRG
How do they stabilize the trailer which was carrying the pier cap? How come it doesn’t jack-knife when the massive weight of the concrete structure is lifted by the crane?
That’s a really good question. The lift-off is carried out extremely slowly – see this video that Appolo cranes has uploaded to their page. Sometimes the trailers have stabilizing arms (example) that come out in the back. Other times I’ve noticed the placement of concrete blocks to apply more weight.