CHENNAI: The severe water crisis in the State has forced the Southern Railway to depend on a lake in neighbouring Kancheepuram district, from where water is brought in wagons every night to help meet the daily requirement.
Struggling to meet the demand during this summer, the Chennai Metro Water had reduced water supplied to the railways, which, in turn, forced the latter to turn to other sources.
For the past one week, a senior railway official said, water is being brought from the Kovalai lake near the Chengalpattu railway station in wagons to meet requirement in onboard toilets.
“We have a huge requirement of water for onboard toilets of long distance trains and also for cleaning the trains. We used to purchase it from Metro Water. But due to the present crisis in the city, they have reduced the quantity. We are now dependent on the Kovalai lake for water,” the official told Express.
Now, three wagons — each fitted with six synthetic storage tanks — bring 90,000 litres of water every day, added another official. This is done only during night hours, he added.
The water is taken to Basin Bridge and Egmore railway yards, where it is filled in trains and used for cleaning coaches. “We will continue to bring water from the lake till the water crisis in the city is over. Once things are normal, Metro Water will be able to supply us the required amount of water,” the senior official said.