Unfinished MRT Pink Line causes a road to collapse in Bangkok

Commuters, pedestrians, and drivers had a lucky escape yesterday morning when torrential rain and floods caused part of the Chaeng Wattana Road in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok to collapse. The finger of blame was pointed toward the unfinished MRT Pink Line for the second time in a week.

A part of the Chaeng Wattana Road, near Central Chang Wattana, dropped about two metres and destroyed about ten square metres of the road at about 9.30am resulting in two of the four lanes to close while builders made repairs to the spot.

The Director of the Nonthaburi Highway District, Suwit Rodphai, informed the media that the road collapsed due to the effect of construction work on the new MRT Pink Line.

Suwit said the construction company, Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction, was halfway through burying electric cables near the spot when heavy rain fell. The hole wasn’t covered and flood water mixed with the sand, cement and dirt, caused the road to collapse.

The media reported that the collapsed spot was temporarily filled with sand, rocks and mortar and reopened at 7pm yesterday. Fortunately, there was no damage to vehicles or pedestrians at the time of the collapse.

Another incident caused by the construction of the new MRT Pink Line was reported last week. A school director and residents in Nonthaburi province filed a complaint to the police saying that construction work on the new MRT made them suffer from floods like never before.

The MRT Pink Line is the responsibility of the Mass Transit Authority of Thailand. The line includes 30 stations from Nonthaburi Civic Centre in Nonthaburi province to the Min Buri district of Bangkok.

The project is under construction and trial. Some stations are expected to be in service in February next year and the whole line will be fully operational by July next year.

SOURCE: Khaosod | Matichon | MGR Online