Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam has told Parliament that 27 defective bearing pads along the metro rail route have been identified as critical, while cracks of varying degrees have been detected in 46 piers.

The findings were made in a report by the Safety Audit Committee, he said.

The minister made the disclosure on Wednesday in response to a question from Abul Kalam, a member of Parliament from Cumilla-9, during the question-answer session in Parliament. The session was chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad.

Sheikh Rabiul Alam said that according to the Safety Audit Committee’s report, not all of the 730 bearing pads along the Uttara–Motijheel metro rail route are defective. Defects in 147 bearing pads have been classified as minor, while problems with 297 pads are mainly related to installation workmanship.

A total of 27 defective bearing pads have been identified as critical. The audit committee’s report also found cracks of varying degrees in 46 piers.