Steps in building sink during Metro Rail work

Steps at the entrance of a building here sunk when the underground work was taken up for creating a cross passage in a Metro Rail corridor, creating a scare among the residents of the area.
The commercial-cum residential complex building in Shenoy Nagar here houses six shops and two houses.
"We were stunned by a thud sound late last night and found that the steps leading leading to our building had sunk in," a resident of the building, K Arumugam, told PTI.
At a meeting today, Metro Rail officials promised to undertake repair works. However, this has caused a scare, he said.

MetroRail spokesperson K Elanthiraian said that there was "absolutely no damage" to the structure of the building at all. "Steps in concrete in the entrance area alone has sunk by 15 mm. We will rectify this. This may have happened due to sinking of soil during cross passage work in that area," he added.
Cross passages are created as a link between the two tunnels for evacuation of passengers during an emergency. Such passages also provide access to one tunnel through the other for maintenance employees.

Stating that such "minor" incidents had been reported even before during underground work between Washermanpet and High Court area, he said the "defect will be rectified."

Metro Rail work is on in two corridors -- Washermenpet to Airport 23.1 kilometers and Chennai Central to St.Thomas Mount 22.0 kilometers totalling 45.1 kilometers.
The network is expected to be inaugurated between Alandur and Koyambedu soon.