For the first time, the Metro Rail has installed flood-proof doors in the pedestrian subways linked to some of the underground stations to prevent the entry of rainwater. They have placed these doors in subways near the Government Estate, AG-DMS and Anna Nagar East stations, sources said. As a result, the subways will be shut for passengers for sometime.
Apart from the rainwater leaking inside stations, one of the subways (opposite the Tamil Nadu Government General Hospital), which is linked to the Government Estate Metro station, gets waterlogged, and the rainwater enters the station, sources said. Recently, when the forecast of heavy rainfall was issued, these doors were installed in all entry points of the two subways linked to the the Government Estate Metro station. Similarly, the doors were installed in AG-DMS and Anna Nagar East stations this week.
According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), they plan to install flood-proof doors in Saidapet station as well. “Apart from these doors, a small bund has been built in front of the subways’ entry point to prevent rainwater from flowing inside. The bund walls will be demolished, and the doors removed once the rain stops,” an official said.
The doors will be stored in the underground stations, and would be used whenever there is heavy rain, officials said. “We are also trying to fix the seepage of water inside the stations,” another official said.
