CHENNAI: Frequent road cave-ins at key stretches of Madhya Kailash junction and along Rajiv Gandhi IT Expressway have left residents of the area and commuters worrying about their safety.
On Saturday, a cave-in occurred near the Institute of Chemical Technology, right next to the start of U-shaped bridge in Taramani, due to a burst in the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board’s (CMWSSB) two-metre diameter sewage pipeline, which according to officials at the site, was over 25 years old.
The Federation of OMR Residents Association (FOMRRA) has listed at least six instances of cave-ins at Madhya Kailash junction between 2015 and 2024, most of which were attributed to leakage or bursts in underground CMWSSB pipelines. The residents feared that similar incidents could occur beneath bridge pillars, posing more serious risks.
FOMRRA co-founder Harsha Koda told TNIE, “ If authorities are not checking the condition of pipelines close to the flyovers while constructing them, it raises serious engineering concerns. Another flyover is also set to open near a stretch that has seen repeated cave-ins.”
Koda further pointed out that despite incidents occurring since 2015, no permanent solution has been found. “Every year there is a major cave-in, and only temporary repairs are done. Metro Water has not upgraded or properly maintained the water and sewage lines from Taramani to Tidel Park junction, many of which are over 30 years old. Officials promise inspections after each incident, but nothing substantial has happened,” he said.
Responding to the concerns, a senior official of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board said, “There is no possibility of cave-ins happening below bridge pillars as no pipelines are so close.”
He further said a conditional assessment of the entire stretch is under way to determine the type of repair work needed, adding that the work will begin after the Assembly election. He also noted that a 2,200 mm diameter sewer line from Madhya Kailash to the pumping station on LB Road, Adyar, carries a heavy load, and that there are plans to construct a new pumping station near VSI Estate to reduce pressure on existing lines. When asked why a complete assessment was not conducted earlier despite repeated cave-ins from 2015, he said he would look into the matter.