Hyderabad Metro uses pre-casting method to curb traffic woes

Pre-casting method is being used for 85 per cent of the ongoing works for Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) to minimise inconvenience to road users.
The metro project is being executed by L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd (L&TMRHL).
"Station construction in the busy roads poses a major traffic challenge. Since the first slab of the station (concourse slab) is generally laid with supports (centring material) taken from the road base, roads are either closed or made one way traffic or severe traffic restrictions are imposed in other cities where metro rail works are going on.
"However, in Hyderabad this activity is converted into pre-cast activity with "spine and wings" approach and traffic management problem is solved. Even parapet wall construction (side walls of viaduct) is made pre-cast," HMR officials said.

Two pre-cast yards, said to be India's biggest casting yards, have been established at Uppal (72 acre) and Qutubullapur (64 acre) in the city, they said today.
Another engineering solution adopted by L&TMRHL is to use curing compound, instead of water, for curing the cement concrete, which avoided spillage of water on the roads.
As per an agreement between the Andhra Pradesh Government and L&T, the project has to be completed within five years (from July 2012).