High drama gripped Chennai's Mylapore area on Thursday morning as a significant portion of the heavily trafficked R K Mutt Road suddenly gave way, creating a large crater. The incident, caused by a damaged underground sewer line, sent commuters into a panic and led to major traffic disruptions.
Chaos on a Busy Morning
Motorists were startled to see the road surface collapsing amidst the flow of traffic. The sudden appearance of the gaping hole forced drivers to slow down and swerve to avoid danger. Police personnel rushed to the scene immediately to manage the situation. They cordoned off the affected area using barricades to prevent any accidents.
Assistant Commissioner of Police for Mylapore, A Julius Christopher, provided details of the initial response. He stated that barricades were installed as soon as the ground began to sink. However, the continued movement of vehicles before the area was fully secured led to a larger section of the road collapsing. Consequently, all vehicles, especially buses, were diverted from the stretch. The ACP noted that the traffic was particularly heavy due to the New Year rush towards places of worship in the locality.
Cause and Planned Restoration
Officials from Chennai Metrowater identified the root cause of the cave-in. C Suresh Kumar, the area engineer for the Teynampet zone, explained that the collapse was triggered by damage to a 120cm underground sewer line that runs from Ice House to Adyar. The exact extent of the damage is still being assessed.
Due to the persistent heavy traffic in the area, repair work could not be initiated during the day. Kumar confirmed that restoration work is scheduled to commence around 10 pm on Thursday. A Metrowater official expressed confidence that the stretch would likely be reopened for traffic by Friday. They also clarified that the repair involves only restoration work and not pipeline replacement, so there will be no disruption to sewage pumping operations or sewage overflow in the neighborhood.
A Recurring Problem
This is not the first time this stretch of R K Mutt Road has faced such an issue. In a concerning revelation, it was noted that the same road section caved in three times in 2021. Those previous incidents were also attributed to cracks in the aging underground pipeline, which had not been replaced for a long period. Thursday's event has reignited concerns about the maintenance and durability of the city's underground utility infrastructure.
