Metro rail: Cracks found in 46 piers, 27 bearing pads ‘critical’

Cracks of varying degrees have been identified in 46 piers of the metro rail route from Uttara to Motijheel in the capital, while 27 bearing pads have been found to have critical defects.

The government has taken necessary measures, including appointing Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) as a consultant, to assess the defects and determine appropriate repair strategies.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam disclosed the information during the question-and-answer session in parliament on Wednesday.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram presided over the session.

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In reply to a written question from Cumilla-9 lawmaker Md Abul Kalam, the minister said an audit committee had identified defects in 730 bearing pads, but not all of them were critical.

Of the defective bearing pads, 497 were classified as having “minor” defects, while defects in 297 pads were mainly related to workmanship during installation.

“Only 27 defective bearing pads have been identified as critical,” the minister said.

He also confirmed that cracks of varying degrees had been detected in 46 piers.

To ensure safe travel for passengers, the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) formed a “Recommendation Implementation Committee” on 16 July.

Meanwhile, steel brackets have been installed at 10 locations, while settlement markers have been placed at 27 locations to measure settlement of the bearing pads.

The government has set a target of replacing the 27 critical bearing pads by 30 November, the minister said.

Structural crack gauges are also being installed at 102 locations to measure and monitor the cracks. The work is scheduled to be completed by 31 October, he added.