A terrifying incident near Chennai's Satyabhama University has raised serious questions about safety protocols at metro rail construction sites. A viral dashcam video captured the moment a heavy metal beam, with a thick screw attached, plummeted onto the busy Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) from an elevated Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) work site.
The Narrow Escape on a Busy Road
The incident, which occurred on December 17, was caught on camera from a moving car. The footage shows the massive beam falling without any support directly into the path of moving vehicles. In a heart-stopping moment, a two-wheeler rider had an extremely narrow escape. The car recording the video also drove through the gap just as the beam bounced back after hitting the ground. Several subsequent vehicles were forced to stop abruptly to avoid a collision and damage.
Official Action and Contractor Responsibility
Following the viral spread of the video on Sunday, CMRL officials confirmed the incident and took swift disciplinary action. They stated that the site engineer and the safety officer responsible for that stretch have been removed from service. Furthermore, a financial penalty has been imposed on the contractor involved.
Officials clarified that Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) is the master contractor for this elevated stretch, which is part of the 44 km long Corridor 4 connecting Madhavaram with Sholinganallur. The specific work on this section had been assigned to a subcontractor named Sam India.
Cause of the Accident and Further Suspensions
According to the CMRL's investigation, the accident happened during a de-shuttering activity of a cantilever pier cap. A piece of shuttering material slipped from a crane and fell onto the barricade, eventually leading to the beam tumbling onto the road. The authorities have also suspended the contractor's safety engineer after a preliminary enquiry, highlighting multiple lapses.
This alarming event has sparked concerns among Chennai residents about the safety measures in place at ongoing infrastructure projects across the city, especially on heavily congested routes like OMR.
