Chennai:
A footpath and stairs of a single- storey building in Shenoy Nagar
here partially caved-in as Chennai Metro Rail undertook cross passage
way work along its tunnels in the stretch sparking fear among the
residents who questioned the stability of the structure.
“It was around 11pm on Sunday night, we were woken up by a loud thud.
We rushed out in panic only to find a portion of our building near the
footpath caved in,” said Armugam, who was staying with five members of
his family on one portion of the building.
He said that immediately after the incident, Chennai Metro Rail
officials walked in and inspected the structure. “We were shaken and
it was around 4.30 am that we went back inside the building to sleep
after the assurances of Chennai Metro Rail officials,” said Armugam,
who is a tenant in the building. The building is partially owned by
four persons. Three of them have shops while the residential portion
is owned by one Harichandra Reddy.
Armugam maintains that the platform as well as the stair caved in by
three feet while Chennai Corporation officials said the platform and
the staircase of the structure sank by 10 centimetres.
A Chennai Metro Rail spokesman told Express that the building is safe.
“The footpath as well as the stair caved-in by 10 millimetres. This
happened while the cross passage work was being carried out,” the
spokesman said. He said work along the underground stretch has not
been affected. Cross passages are created as a link between the two
tunnels for evacuation of passengers during an emergency.
Meanwhile, the shop owners, tenants as well as owners were summoned by
Chennai Metro Rail for a three-hour long meeting. “They have said the
structure is safe and promised to repair the footpath. We have
objected to it. If only our engineer certifies that the building is
safe and there is no damage to the structure then only we will return
back,” says Mubarak, one of the owner of building who runs a medical
shop. He also alleged that the building has suffered cracks. He said
Metro Rail has agreed to repair the damages.
Interestingly, the site was bustling with activity in the morning with
Chennai Corporation officials jotting out details and a top official
asking the cops to barricade the building and ensure the site is safe.
Even Chennai Metro Rail officials were seen taking measurements of a
nearby building as onlookers and neighbours watched. A neighbor on
condition of anonymity said they were scared initially but felt the
issue would be sorted out by Chennai Metro Rail.
Mubarak said that all the shops have now been closed. “Only the
residents of the two flats are allowed,” he said. Armugam said that he
along with his family will be staying in a nearby building. The owner
has made arrangements for us, he said.
Mubarak said the shop owners in the building have to incur losses as
Chennai Corporation and police have asked them not to open the shops.
“We will also ask Metro Rail to reimburse the losses,” he said.
To a query on what would have resulted in the building to sink as
there was no well inside the building, a metro rail spokesman said
they have yet to ascertain. It is being said that the area was a water
body earlier and was converted into plots. “We don’t know what was
there earlier,” the spokesman said
A footpath and stairs of a single- storey building in Shenoy Nagar
here partially caved-in as Chennai Metro Rail undertook cross passage
way work along its tunnels in the stretch sparking fear among the
residents who questioned the stability of the structure.
“It was around 11pm on Sunday night, we were woken up by a loud thud.
We rushed out in panic only to find a portion of our building near the
footpath caved in,” said Armugam, who was staying with five members of
his family on one portion of the building.
He said that immediately after the incident, Chennai Metro Rail
officials walked in and inspected the structure. “We were shaken and
it was around 4.30 am that we went back inside the building to sleep
after the assurances of Chennai Metro Rail officials,” said Armugam,
who is a tenant in the building. The building is partially owned by
four persons. Three of them have shops while the residential portion
is owned by one Harichandra Reddy.
Armugam maintains that the platform as well as the stair caved in by
three feet while Chennai Corporation officials said the platform and
the staircase of the structure sank by 10 centimetres.
A Chennai Metro Rail spokesman told Express that the building is safe.
“The footpath as well as the stair caved-in by 10 millimetres. This
happened while the cross passage work was being carried out,” the
spokesman said. He said work along the underground stretch has not
been affected. Cross passages are created as a link between the two
tunnels for evacuation of passengers during an emergency.
Meanwhile, the shop owners, tenants as well as owners were summoned by
Chennai Metro Rail for a three-hour long meeting. “They have said the
structure is safe and promised to repair the footpath. We have
objected to it. If only our engineer certifies that the building is
safe and there is no damage to the structure then only we will return
back,” says Mubarak, one of the owner of building who runs a medical
shop. He also alleged that the building has suffered cracks. He said
Metro Rail has agreed to repair the damages.
Interestingly, the site was bustling with activity in the morning with
Chennai Corporation officials jotting out details and a top official
asking the cops to barricade the building and ensure the site is safe.
Even Chennai Metro Rail officials were seen taking measurements of a
nearby building as onlookers and neighbours watched. A neighbor on
condition of anonymity said they were scared initially but felt the
issue would be sorted out by Chennai Metro Rail.
Mubarak said that all the shops have now been closed. “Only the
residents of the two flats are allowed,” he said. Armugam said that he
along with his family will be staying in a nearby building. The owner
has made arrangements for us, he said.
Mubarak said the shop owners in the building have to incur losses as
Chennai Corporation and police have asked them not to open the shops.
“We will also ask Metro Rail to reimburse the losses,” he said.
To a query on what would have resulted in the building to sink as
there was no well inside the building, a metro rail spokesman said
they have yet to ascertain. It is being said that the area was a water
body earlier and was converted into plots. “We don’t know what was
there earlier,” the spokesman said
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