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Time of India

Metro work in Perumbakkam cripples shopkeepers, motorists

Chennai: For several days now, R Selvakumar, who runs a grocery shop on Perumbakkam Main Road, has not removed his surgical face mask while at work. He stares at the painfully slow-moving traffic on the road, which was narrowed to less than 20 feet, and misses the blue barricades of the Metro construction. "There is a dust storm on this road every day. Instead of choking on the dust particles, I just wear the mask even on a hot day," he said. Work began late in 2023 with a tunnel boring machine carrying out daily construction for the phase-2 Metro stretch that will connect Madhavaram and Sholinganallur. Now, as the workers make arrangements to erect pillars, construction seems to be moving at a sluggish pace to Selvakumar. Several shopkeepers on the 2-km stretch raised similar concerns. "I stopped displaying products outside my shop now. No one will want to buy edibles or household items coated with dust," said Sumitra Devi, a shopkeeper on the lane. And it's not just shopkeepers. Construction equipment and steel wires that spill onto roads are posing a risk to motorists. "The CMRL-employed workers slack off most of the time. There is no one to regulate traffic during rush hour. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Damp Room? Try This Dehumidifier Topgadgetlife Shop Now Undo I saw several accidents on the stretch, mostly because of wrong-side driving," said R Manimaran, who irons clothes for a living. CMRL said there were reasons why the entire stretch wasn't barricaded. "The road is weak at several locations and placing barricades there would turn out to be a risk to motorists. This is why we make other arrangements," he said, adding steps will be taken to curb pollution.