Friday, July 17, 2009

Paving Expert

Thank you McCormacks, for your ‘hands on’ - not only when thumping the tiles to the mortar below, but also on the keyboard bringing this forward to a larger community.

The work is indeed commendable www.pavingexpert.com

Although the site is more applicable to the UK context, its comprehensiveness should be really useful to anyone inclined towards the art of paving.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Site Safety – DMRC’s case - Part 2

In continuation to previous post - this interesting concrete site has a post on the 12th July 2009 DMRC collapse. It also has the youtube video link which had flashed on the television channels.
Although a high profile public project like this may not escape the general wrath for such a miscalculation, hope this incidence is used by the larger construction fraternity in the country as a reminder to a generally callous approach to safety at work sites.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Site Safety – DMRC’s case

The news of collapse at the DMRC site is worse than the last one about a year ago. In spite of that lesson, this time the numbers were slightly higher. This reflects the sloppy attitude of a country which aspires to be a superpower towards its own proletariat, and why safety at sites is not important (An opinion in my earlier post). Insight into concerns and comments of this project by Indian Structural Enginnering fraternity can be seen on SEFI website:
  1. This year’s collapse (under discussion)
  2. The last year’s collapse

A moral resignation is probably the only recourse for the venerable chief, and the democratic Delhi government not accepting it. Because, the cause is Delhi’s development, congestion in the backdrop, and the recent excuse - the commonwealth games. Give me a break - because a city like Delhi hosted somewhat equivalent but bigger Asian games way back in 1982. Twenty five years later, perhaps games size of Olympics should be the concern! Or, perhaps since it is 'The Commonwealth', the British Queen can take some moral responsibility? Absurd if this sounds, then I will only hope, that if not the Queen’s, then at least this resignation will ensue some sensibility into the stakeholders, who now need to exhibit a sincere and a collective effort, rather than the blame game.

On a smaller note - Since like this post, a website is an instantaneous medium, why the Delhi Metro website doesn’t say anything? The organisation seems to have a vigilance unit too. If not lessons, even a little apology could be a nicer gesture to support the cause of development?

Friday, July 10, 2009

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Along the highway - Part -II

Sarkhej-Gandhinagar highway (part 1 in previous post) has cars zooming at a speed of 100kmph. Definitely, dangerous enough to kill any one if there’s a knock. Four lanes are separated by an upstand divider in between. About five men (or women) are working on some modification to this, so they need one innermost lane. Just about a foot or two away from them, the sixth one is standing on the road and has a placard for the oncoming traffic. Legible, once you are close enough to him, you read - “DENJAR - MAN AT WORK”.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Along the highway

The expansion of Sarkhej-Gandhinagar highway with a couple of lanes on each side required a fresh new road construction, and on top is a layer of bitumen which needs some time to harden up. Now so that the people do not accidentally drive over the newly laid surface and so spoil the road, the contractor has placed some brick and stone pieces randomly on it. I am not sure if this has a safety intention too. But surely this is cheaper than the incalculable length of an expensive ‘keep-out’ yellow ribbon. A work of art for sure, and thus, the unknown contractor finding his name on this (my artisans) hall of name.