Rainwater seeped into the 152-year-old CSI Tamil Wesley Church in Broadway on Friday, through the cracks that developed from underground Metro Rail work.
A Grade 2A heritage building, the church suffered damage in July, when tunnel boring machines drilled several feet underneath.
“Usually, there is no seepage in the church during the monsoon. It is only now, after the damage caused by Metro Rail work, there is water dripping inside the church. Repair work started a while back and should be completed in another 10-15 days,” said a member of the church.
“We are not sure if Sunday service will take place here if the rains and water seepage continue,” said another member of the church.
Officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) denied the cracks in the building had resulted in water seepage. “The building does not have proper drainage and this may have resulted in the seepage,” an official said.
CMRL began repairing the cracks in the last week of August, more than a month after they developed following underground drilling between Mannady and Madras High Court where Metro Rail stations are coming up.
“We are coordinating with church authorities and the repairs should be completed soon,” said the CMRL official.
Repairs on another church, the 121-year-old Arcot Lutheran church, that also developed cracks due to the tunnelling work had been completed, he said.
Experts from IIT-Madras had inspected the buildings and sent a report to CMRL with their recommendations.
Of the nearly 740 buildings under which the TBM drilled through from Washermenpet to Mannady, nearly 25 buildings developed fresh cracks, said the CMRL official.
