Chennai Metro Rail begins track maintenance in stretches of the phase I project

Work will be done at night after operating hours

Many commuters might have heard screeching while travelling through some stretches of the Metro. Over the past six years, some of the sharper curves on the tracks have suffered from wear and tear, and now are in need of extensive maintenance. For this, Chennai Metro Rail Limited will begin a rail grinding exercise at night to set right any undulations in the sharp curves of the tracks in the phase I project’s stretches — Washermenpet to Chennai Airport and Chennai Central to St. Thomas Mount. Two years ago, they did this for the underground stretches. According to the officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), they have called for tenders for rail grinding work which will be taken up soon. “Initially, soon after launch, we had to do rail grinding for the straight stretches, and for sharp curves we are doing it now. This work will be done at night after operating hours for about three hours every day. We hope to finish it in three to four months. With this, the noise, shake and vibrations during transit will come down significantly,” an official said.