Nochikuppam residents reject CMRL denial, blame it for balcony collapse
On Saturday night, an elderly couple suffered injuries after the balcony of the house in Nochikuppam collapsed onto them.
Image of the balcony collapsed house in Nochikuppam
CHENNAI: Rejecting the Chennai Metro Rail’s claim that the balcony collapse in Nochikuppam was not caused by its underground construction, the members of Mylai Nochikuppam Meenava Grama Sabai, and several other residents and retailers in the area said the incident on May 24 happened because of the work and added that several buildings were damaged.
On Saturday night, an elderly couple suffered injuries after the balcony of the house in Nochikuppam collapsed onto them. A teenage girl also suffered minor injuries. P Kuppan (72) and K Rajamani (65) were sitting outside their house in Ellaiamman Koil Street when the portion collapsed and the debris fell on them.
Speaking to DT Next, the members of the Sabai and residents said they have been cautioning the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) of such incidents due to tunneling and other works. However, the officials did not pay any heed and continue the work without taking any measures to mitigate the risk, they alleged.
T Prakash, president of the association, said, "Even after the incident unfolded, CMRL has not taken the issue seriously. So far, no thorough inspection has been conducted. The incident has caused panic among people in Nochikuppam and Kamarajar Salai."
Rupesh Kumar, a resident and shop owner in Nochikuppam, claimed that many houses in the area developed cracks after the Metro Rail tunnel work.
"We have been resisting the project foreseeing such incidents. There are multiple houses and shops in the location that have developed cracks during Metro Rail construction,” Rupesh alleged. Also, CMRL had assured water arrangements or monetary compensation after it disconnected bore well facilities at all houses. However, the promise has not been fulfilled yet, he added.
When asked, a senior Metro Rail official said it conducted building inspections and documentation done in 2023, which showed that the main wall of the structure was intact and continues to be so. “The collapse seems to be the result of poor construction," the official said.
Addressing the allegations that Metro Rail construction caused tremors, thus weakening the building, the official clarified, "The Kutchery Metro Rail station and the machines are more than a kilometer away from the collapse site. Also, the tunnel boring machine already passed the location in May 2024 and is nearing Thirumayilai."