Bengaluru: Metro pillar develops cracks, trains slowed down at damaged portion
Bengaluru, Dec 12: A metro rail pillar in the busy Trinity Station here has developed cracks, compelling the Bengaluru Metro Rail authorities to slow down the speed of the trains at the damaged portion.
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said he has directed the authorities to suspend the services till the damaged portion was repaired.
"I am aware of the crack in a portion of the metro rail route. Technical experts on the subject have carried out an inspection. I have given a slew of directions.
One is that the metro rail services should be stopped because it should not cause any trouble to the public," Kumaraswamy told reporters in Belagavi.
The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has raised a steel platform for the engineers to carry out tests.
It said the affected portion was small and would not affect the safety of the structure.
"The affected portion is very small and will not affect overall safety of the structure. The tests are being carried out as a matter of abundant precaution," said BMRCL ina statement.
The BMRCL said that it noticed a honeycomb in the concrete beam near Trinity Station.
"A more detailed inspection of concrete is required to be done through non-destructive methods to ensure that the concrete is adequately strong," the BMRCL said.
Regular Metro rail users and those frequently using the road beneath the elevated metro corridor expressed fears over the damage to the Metro pillar.
Vinay G, a resident living at Halasuru near the Trinity Circle said it was a cause for concern that the pillar developed a crack though initially authorities had said that the Metro elevated corridor was so strong that it would not require any maintenance for the next 25 years.
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Man held for cheating IT official by posing as 'parrot astrologer'
Bengaluru (PTI): A 59-year-old man was arrested for allegedly duping an Income Tax department official by posing as a "parrot astrologer" and promising career growth and better life through rituals, police said on Wednesday.
With the arrest of the accused astrologer Shekar, police claimed to have recovered gold ornaments weighing 124 grams and silver articles weighing 796 grams, with a total value of Rs 20.60 lakh.
The matter came to light after the victim, who is a senior administrative officer in the Income Tax department, lodged a complaint at Bharatinagar police station here on March 5, police said.
According to police, in the complaint, the victim stated that while passing near Sri Circle, he was approached by a person claiming to practise parrot astrology. The accused called him over, claimed he could predict the future by looking at his face, and convinced him to perform a ritual.
Initially, the accused collected Rs 50,000 from the complainant. Later, he allegedly told the victim that an elaborate ritual was necessary for career promotion, transfer, and overall improvement in life, and threatened that failure to do so would bring misfortune, he alleged.
"Under this pretext, the accused took 194 grams of gold ornaments and 1.3 kg of silver articles from the complainant, assuring they would be returned after the ritual," police said.
When the complainant later demanded the return of the valuables, the accused allegedly threatened him, they said.
During the investigation, police gathered credible information and apprehended the accused near Cantonment Railway Station on March 12 and upon interrogation, he confessed to committing the offence with the intention of making quick money, a senior police officer said.
He was produced before a court on March 13 and taken into police custody for five days.
During sustained questioning, the accused revealed that he had sold the stolen gold and silver items at a jewellery shop in Halasuru. Based on his information, police recovered 124 grams of gold ornaments and 796 grams of silver articles from the shop on March 15, valued at Rs 20.60 lakh, the officer said.
The accused was again produced before the court on March 17 and was remanded to judicial custody, he added.
