MRT tunnel intact despite road collapse in Chinatown

[Windsorhai]

MRT tunnel intact despite road collapse in Chinatown

KANATHIT SRIHIRUNDEJ
THE NATION September 26, 2013 1:00 am

THE UNDERGROUND tunnel for the MRT's Blue Line extension remains intact even though a part of the road collapsed in Bangkok's Chinatown area, Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt said yesterday.

At about 2am yesterday, a bit of the road surface on Charoenkrung Road in front of the Leng Noei Yi Temple (Wat Mangkorn Kammalawat) subsided, leaving a crater at the construction site of the MRT Blue Line's extension route.

"The crater was about 25 centimetres deep initially, but I ordered workers to dig deeper to find out what caused the collapse," construction supervisor Kamol Mahaphon said.

After digging further, his team found that huge water leaks had weakened the area.

"Hence, we have contacted relevant officials, including the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority," Kamol said.

Meanwhile, Chadchart said the MRT tunnel, which is still being constructed, is about 25 metres deep and remains intact. "The tunnel has not been damaged in any way," he reiterated.

Pisitchanon Niwattanakul, a member of the Leng Noei Yi Temple's board, said the road-surface collapse did not affect the monastery.

"The temple is alright with the construction of the MRT extension because it is beneficial to the public," he said.

 

[Windsorhai]

THE UNDERGROUND tunnel for the MRT's Blue Line extension remains intact even though a part of the road collapsed in Bangkok's Chinatown area,
Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt said yesterday.

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