CMRL assures parents of safety of school building on Santhome High Road

CHENNAI: Following the flagging of safety risks in a matriculation school building on Santhome High Road, the Chennai Metro Rail Limited has assured the safety of the structure and promised additional inspections in the coming week.

The parents of students studying at the matriculation school held a protest on Monday morning, alleging that the school building was developing cracks due to metro construction work in the area.

Nearly 50 parents who were part of the agitation demanded swift action to fix the weak building.

In response, a Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) team visited the spot and inspected the cracks on the school building.

"Underground Metro Rail construction is underway in the area following which the school has been developing cracks, which we parents noticed and enquired about with the school management but as we did not receive a proper response, we had no choice but to engage in a protest as it is a matter of students' safety," said a parent of a Class 8 student at the school.

In a reply to the parents, a CMRL official said, "The concerns were brought to our notice a few days back and we subsequently addressed the issue and studied the building structure thoroughly. But, as it is a matter of children's safety, we are paying additional attention to the claims of the parents and have acted on it."

For the Metro Rail construction, a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) had already passed the school area a few days back, and another TBM is likely to cross this week. "To assure the parents, we will be conducting another inspection of the school building shortly after the second TBM passes underneath the school, and hold meetings with the parents if need be," the official added.