Hidden within a busy commercial stretch of Tamil Nadu’s capital, a little-known structure offers a rare glimpse into the fear and uncertainty that gripped the city during the Second World War. An air-raid shelter, built in 1941 on the premises of the former Beehive Foundry on Broadway Road, stands today as one of the last physical reminders of wartime Madras.
Once known as Madras, present-day Chennai played a quiet but significant role during World War I, helping transport wounded soldiers from East Africa to hospitals in India. The hospital ship H.S. Madras was fitted with iron, steel and brass supplied by the Beehive Foundry, then a thriving industrial unit in the heart of the city.
A forgotten World War I connection
The Beehive Foundry later came under the control of Indian Commerce and Industries in 1919. Over time, however, most traces of its contribution to World War I disappeared amid redevelopment. What survives is not linked to healing or recovery, but to the anxiety of another global conflict.
Built for fear, not comfort
The air-raid shelter on the site was constructed in 1941, when fears of a Japanese attack loomed large over the Madras Presidency. According to Ramesh Kumar, director of Indian Commerce and Industries, the structure has walls nearly 16 inches thick and could accommodate around 100 people. Narrow slits along the walls allowed ventilation while keeping occupants protected.
He recalls stories passed down by his grandfather, Authikesavalu Chettiar, of factory workers rushing into the shelter whenever the nearby police station’s siren sounded. Most alerts, he said, turned out to be drills, but the tension was constant.
Madras on edge during World War II
Historian K.R.A. Narasaiah has noted that air-raid shelters were built across the state during World War II, despite being rarely used. After Japan captured Singapore, Madras remained on high alert, expecting an attack at any moment.
Apart from the Broadway Road shelter, the only other known example in the city is located in Royapuram, where it lies in a severely neglected condition.
A fragile reminder of history
Urban historians warn that such structures are rapidly vanishing as cities expand and modernise. Without documentation or preservation, these modest shelters—once symbols of collective fear and preparedness—may soon be lost forever.