With rain lashing the city almost everyday now, commuters using the Arumbakkam Metro are facing inconvenience in the form of a missing portion of the roof, which had come loose and fallen due to strong winds a few days ago.
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On November 29, Metro services were disrupted for nearly two hours owing to ‘urgent maintenance work’ on Arumbakkam Metro’s roof. Parts of the roof fell outside the platform area due to strong winds and some sheets were even dangling, sources said.
The authorities closed the station briefly to remove parts of the roof to ensure safety and resumed operations. In this particular part of the platform, where passengers wait to board the train or disembark, the rain has been causing some trouble. Sources said departing passengers avoid using the part of the platform as the area got slippery.
Navaneetha Krishnan, who frequently commutes between Arumbakkam and Chennai Central Metros, said: “It is unfortunate that this is the quality of construction. If I’m travelling to work or for a meeting and getting drenched when I walk out of the train, it will certainly upset my plans. The Metro fares are higher than other transports, and the system should ideally be built to withstand everything, considering all the crores of rupees they’ve spent.”
According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited, soon after this problem emerged, they had carried out maintenance work to ensure that there was no compromise to safety. “Since it has been raining every day, there has been a slight delay in fixing the roof. The work will be finished in a few days, and the entire area will be covered so that passengers aren’t inconvenienced,” an official said.