When it rains, the Chennai Metro Rail stations leak at every level. That could probably be why kind-hearted commuters have left behind their umbrellas for the staff to use when it pours.
Almost a year on, the ‘Lost and Found’ section of Chennai Metro Rail looks like an umbrella godown.
“Usually, no one comes to reclaim the umbrellas. Perhaps people think it is too much of an effort to come back all the way for it. It is during peak summer and the monsoon season that we get a lot of umbrellas,” an official said.
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After handbags and purses, officials say, lunchboxes are considered precious by commuters. “They rush to the station to claim their lunchboxes; and we are not surprised because this is something they need everyday and can also be quite expensive,” an official said.
What happens to lost goods if they are not claimed immediately? For a day or two, they are kept in the respective station control rooms; subsequently, they are shifted to the stores department where they retain the articles for a month and then finally auction them.
“We check the bags once we find them at stations; and if there is money inside, we remit it in the Revenue Department so that it is not stolen by anyone. When the passenger returns to claim a bag, we verify the details and then return it. Once, we even had a gold ornament inside a handbag that we safely returned,” he added.
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Helpline
Here is the helpline for Chennai Metro Rail that commuters can contact if they have left behind something on the trains or at one of the stations: Ph: 18604251515.