The Chennai Metro Rail tunnelling work has yet again caused cracks on a few buildings in Washermenpet on Wednesday. Residents of Mottai Gardens near Maharani Theatre, Washermenpet, woke up to see cracks in various parts of their houses on Wednesday morning.
Ameer Basha, 35, who has been residing in Mottai Gardens for over a year, said that he noticed cracks on the pillars, walls and roof of his residence.
“There was water all over the house because the seepage from the pipeline has been entering the walls and ceiling through this crack. There are at least 10 cracks in my house alone. We informed the officials, who said they will carry out repairs soon,” he said.
Currently, Chennai Metro Rail has been carrying out tunnelling from Washermenpet to Thyagaraya College for the underground network as part of the 9 km phase I extension project that covers Washermanpet to Wimco Nagar. The tunnelling covers the first portion of the stretch and the tunnel boring machines will reach their first destination of Thyagaraya College by the end of this week.
Fathima S. (name changed), another resident of Mottai Gardens, claims several cracks have developed in her three-storyed house. Around 5.30 a.m. when she woke up, she found cracks in her walls and near the staircase from the second floor to the 3rd floor. “We are living with our children here. I have been so worried and restless since morning thinking what will happen to the house and if the foundation too has been affected. It is quite easy for people to say cracks may not affect a building; only if you live there, you know what it is like,” she added.
Foam in houses
Meanwhile, foam emerged from another house in the same area due to tunnelling work on Wednesday morning.
Officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited said they will repair the houses and set right any damage caused due to the work. “The foam came out because unless the house owner informs us about the existence of a borewell, we will not know,” he said.
The phase I project that saw tunnelling in the interior parts from Chennai Central to Washermanpet too caused cracks in about 200 buildings.
