CMRL's preparedness for NE monsoon

CHENNAI: With the Northeast monsoon here and heavy rainfall anticipated through the subsequent months, there is certainly apprehension among the public regarding the flooding and water stagnation on city roads.

Besides this, due to ongoing Metro Rail construction at many locations in Chennai, there are certainly doubts among denizens on how the monsoon will be mitigated without drastically affecting the daily lives. But, the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has assured proactive measures for the NE monsoon for both its Phase-I operation and Phase-II construction in Chennai city.

As per officials, CMRL has formed a dedicated team responsible for continuously monitoring rainfall. This team will monitor the weather forecasts and obtain information from both in-house resources and the Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai.

Additionally, an officer has also been designated for each operational station.

"These officers are tasked with promptly identifying and addressing any damage caused by rainwater at both underground (UG) and elevated metro stations, as well as along the metro rail routes. They ensure swift action and provide timely reports to the concerned officials," said the CMRL official.

Further in the lines of weather monitoring, CMRL has deployed anemometer at seven key Metro stations such as -- Wimco Nagar depot, Thiruvottriyur, Theradi, Airport, Alandur, St Thomas mount and Vadapalini Metro stations.

"The anemometers have been installed to measure wind speed accurately. These precision instruments continuously generate electronic data based on wind speed, which is integrated into the electronic SCADA system. This data triggers real-time audio and visual alarms. Operation Control Centre (OCC) and concerned stations will be able to monitor wind speed readings," the official added.

Besides this, OCC has also been tasked to maintain contact with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to receive weather updates and alert messages.

The respective stations along with the train operation team, and the maintenance team will be shared with weather information for proactive preparedness.

Additionally, a disaster management team is also in place to assist OCC in emergencies. The team will maintain communication with the State disaster management team for additional support.

Further, in the case of UG station preparations, CMRL has installed floodgates at seven UG stations from Saidapet, AGDMS, Government Estate, Thousand Light, Sir Thegaraya College, Tondiarpet, and Anna Nagar East metro stations.

"Officers overseeing these areas will report on water leakage, stagnation at both station and street levels, station maintenance, equipment, and civil maintenance," the department official noted.

Importantly, CMRL is also keen on monitoring the ramp areas for rising water levels.

Incidentally, due to different factors, a few metro construction areas have been earmarked as vulnerable construction sites.

"Relatively vulnerable sites like Lighthouse, Arcot Road, Nandanam, and Saidapet ramp, have been prepared with temporary drains and wells to manage stormwater. Existing stormwater drains and catch pits are cleaned to ensure proper drainage. An emergency team equipped with dewatering pumps and generators is ready to address excess rainwater," the official said.

And, in the case of road maintenance, CMRL officials assure that damaged roads have been swiftly repaired, and temporary gutters have been constructed to collect stormwater. Blockages are removed after the rain, for smooth traffic flow.

"With 95 percent of existing drains cleaned and temporary gutters in place, Chennai Metro Rail is prepared for the monsoon. An emergency team is on standby, and shelters have been constructed to address unforeseen situations," the official pointed out.