The 14.6-km stretch from Poonamallee to Vadapalani via Porur, which has been plagued by delays since February, received the final nod last month.
| Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ
The inauguration of Chennai Metro Rail’s first Phase II stretch by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi may happen soon, but some of the construction flaws, such as roofs leaking during rain continues.The 14.6-km stretch from Poonamallee to Vadapalani via Porur, which has been plagued by delays since February, received the final approval last month, and commuters have been waiting for the launch. But these newly built stations seem to have flaws in their design and construction as rainwater leakage continues to be reported in some of these stations even after a short, intense spell of rain.In stations such as Mullaithottam, Karayanchavadi, Kumananchavadi, Porur Bypass, Kattupakkam, and Thelliyaragaram, rainwater leakage was reported at the concourse, ticket issuing spaces, and equipment storage rooms, sources said. Rainwater was also reported to have reached platforms where computers were stationed.“There was ample time from March till June to complete all the work. If they have completed, rainwater leakage should not be happening. Crores have been spent on the construction of these buildings. We cannot normalise such problems. If these things happen at a house, where we are going to live in, will we accept it?” a source asked.According to Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) officials, they have already started the work to plug the leaks. “The contractors have already been informed, and we are identifying ways to ensure such leakage doesn’t occur again. The work will be completed at the earliest,” an official said.This is not the first time rainwater leakage has been reported at stations between Poonamallee and Vadapalani. In April too, heavy rainwater leakage was reported in some of the stations after which repair work was carried out. Published - June 23, 2026 07:23 pm IST
