Demolishing without disturbing

A success story on Chennai Metro Rail Ltd.
It is never easy to introduce modernity in places rich in history. In a city like Chennai which has a history of 350 years, great architectural heritage and is so full of ‘old- world’ charm, the problem gets further compounded. So, when the Metro Rail Project in the city – the largest public project in Tamil Nadu – got underway, the authorities of Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL) knew they had quite a challenge ahead. And they knew it had to do with demolitions – they had to get that right first before anything else. 
“You see, Chennai is home to hundreds of heritage structures, quite a few of them in the congested heart of the city along the alignment of the Metro,” says Mohan Ramanathan, Managing Director, Advanced Construction Technologies Ltd (ACT). “And you don’t mess around with Chennai’s architectural heritage – not the slightest bit.” ACT and Volvo CE are in the forefront of demolitions for the Chennai Metro Project. Together, they have been clearing up the ground for the laying of tracks in Phase 1 of the Project. So far, they have got their act absolutely right in the station locations at Mannady, Central Station, Thirumangalam and Washermanpet. “We are talking about text-book demolitions, really,” says Mr Ramanathan. “It’s been swift, silent, smooth… with no untoward incidents and without disturbing day-to-day activity.”
Tearing them down with ease starting with the razing of the Police Quarters at Mannady Station in the very busy Broadway Street through to the pulling down of the multi-storeyed Hotel Picnic sandwiched between two famous heritage structures near Central Station, the demolitions have proceeded with minimum fuss and stress. “The tearing down of Hotel Picnic was a particularly tricky one,” says Mr Ramanathan. “We had to ensure zero-damage to the landmark structures on either side – Ripon Building and Victoria Public Hall. The clearance area available was just 5 metres on both sides. But our Volvos pulled it off with ease!”
For the demolition of the 30 metres high Hotel Picnic building and other structures, four Volvo machines were deployed – one each EC210, EC240, EC360 and EC460BLC excavators. The EC460BLC excavator was fitted with a 26 metres triple demolition boom and hydraulic crusher to tear down the reinforced concrete structure. No damage was caused to the heritage structures, notwithstanding the fact they were over 100 years old and made of masonry in lime mortar. “The Volvo line of excavators delivers maximum reach and stability with no vibration and very little noise. Now, that’s a killer combination for demolitions,” says Mr Ramanathan.
According to him, Volvos are real workhorses with robust under-carriage system and demolition-grade hydraulics that ensure power and control are never compromised. The operators really enjoy working in the cool, comfortable Volvo cabins, he adds.
This is the first time in Chennai that such a high-reach demolition machine has been used.  And it has won instant approval from CMRL Project Managers. They find Volvo demolition equipment absolutely safe and recommend them for all future high-rise demolitions in the Project. “Well, Chennai has always been a ‘city of firsts’,” says Mr Ramanathan. “We are sure glad to be in the list.”
The demolition industry in India is currently pegged at about Rs 1,000 crore. With urban infrastructure set to boom across the country, the growth potential for the industry is huge. “But it needs to get a lot more organised first,” says Mr Ramanathan. “Demolitions are all about bringing it down quickly, efficiently… and as quietly as possible. And you can’t do that unless you have the finest people and equipment around – like Volvo.” 
 

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