Pallet slips during maintenance at Kannur multi-level parking facility, raises safety concerns

A parking pallet at the multi-level car parking facility near Jawahar Municipal Stadium in Kannur slipped while maintenance work was under way, triggering concerns over the safety of the structure. The incident, which occurred four days before coming to public attention on Sunday (October 25) gained widespread attention on social media.

One of the parking units was temporarily shut down following the incident. The mishap prompted questions about the condition and safety of the facility. However, the maintenance team maintained that the incident occurred during routine repair work and insisted that there was no cause for concern.  

“The Pallet slipped when workers attempted to raise it using a jack as part of the maintenance process, but the matter was blown out of proportion,” said N.K. Sujith, a technician working here. He said the incident happened during maintenance work on the pallet.

“A few days back we were trying to lift the pallet with a jack when the pallet slipped. However, only now it has come to public attention,” he added.   

He said that the team could not restore the pallet, which may weigh approximately two tonnes,  because a car was parked in the same unit. Efforts to contact the vehicle’s owner to have it moved were unsuccessful, he claimed.

Mr. Sujith said the pallet was unlikely to slip off its supporting rail because of its substantial weight. He pointed out that the parking facility comprises four independent units, enabling the remaining units to continue functioning even if one is temporarily taken out of service. 

Maintenance at the Kannur facility is undertaken by a contracted company, while its day-to-day operation is managed by an employee of the Corporation. The maintenance team said the displaced pallet could be returned to its original position within a few hours.