Madhya Kailash junction hit by second cave-in in month

CHENNAI: A gaping hole appeared near the Madhya Kailash junction on Thursday, severely affecting traffic for several hours. The 6-feet deep sinkhole measuring 10feet in diameter appeared on the road towards OMR. This is the second such incident in a month. The first one happened about 20 metres ahead of the stretch, opposite the temple. In 2015 also, a huge crater appeared in the area flowing heavy rain.Meanwhile, the reason for the cave-ins remain the same — a leaking sewage pipeline.
Laid about 30 years ago, the pipeline is corroded and damaged, Metrowater officials said. It carries sewage from Adyar to the Perungudi treatment plant. Officials who had attended to the leak at the cave-in site opposite the temple a month ago said they were not aware the leaks spreading to other areas.

“The pipeline that carries sewage from a part of the Adyar zone to the Perungudi treatment plant had been damaged for a month. We realized it only on Thursday and are now replacing the 1m diameter pipeline. There could be similar corrosion and damage to the pipeline along the entire stretch since sewage usually releases gases and chemicals. Most of the leakage takes place at the joints along the pipeline. We have sent a proposal to replace the entire pipeline on the stretch. The government will take a call on it,” said a Metrowater official.
The Greater Chennai corporation said the road belonged to the bus route road (BRR) department. “Now, the Metrowater is repairing the pipeline and it will pour soil and debris. After that, patch work will be done with cement. Later, we will call for tenders and lay the stretch,” said an official.
Meanwhile, due to the cave-in traffic on the stretch was moving on a snail’s pace since morning. Police barricaded the stretch. Vehicles from Besant Nagar and Marina Beach towards Guindy had to take a left turn on the OMR Road and take a U-turn at the newly erected traffic signal near VHS hospital. However, after the metrorail workers began their work at 10am, the usual traffic pattern was restored.
“It took more than half an hour for me to cross the Madhay Kailash stretch as vehicles were moving inch by inch. Traffic personnel were also seen struggling to manage vehicles,” said Anand, a techie from OMR.
Metrowater workers will start the repairing work at 11pm and likely to finish it by midnight. The traffic is expected to be normalised on Friday morning, said a traffic official.