Cleared – maniChennai: A family of four and a driver had a narrow escape on Saturday evening, when their car plunged into an eight-foot-deep sinkhole that opened up suddenly on Rajiv Gandhi Salai (Old Mahabalipuram Road), near Tidel Park in Taramani.The incident occurred around 4pm, triggering panic among motorists and road-users on the info-tech corridor.Police said the car stopped at the traffic signal when the road beneath caved in, causing the vehicle to tilt and fall into the sinkhole. All occupants escaped with minor injuries. Hearing their screams, bystanders rushed to help. Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services (TNFRS) personnel rescued the trapped passengers and shifted them to a nearby hospital for first-aid.Police identified the car driver as Mariadas, 47, from Sholinganallur. The passengers were identified as Vignesh, 42, his wife Dhanya, 32, and their children Aswanth, 12, and Advaith, 7. Vignesh hired the vehicle for a trip to Chennai Central Railway Station to board a train.Police immediately cordoned off the affected area and diverted traffic to ease the traffic congestion. Officials said a full repair work could be carried out only at night when traffic is not much.Preliminary investigations pointed to a sewer line leakage from the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) as the cause of the road cave-in. Teams from the Tamil Nadu Road Development Company (TNRDC), which maintains the OMR stretch, inspected the site and began coordinating with CMWSSB for repair and restoration.Officials from the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) clarified that the incident was not linked to any ongoing metro construction activities in the vicinity.MSID:: 121239074 413 |