Articles by News Desk

Traffic diversions announced for Republic Day rehearsals Chennai traffic police have released a directive with the details of traffic diversion on certain routes between January 20th-23rd and on the 26th. Vehicular movement will be completely prohibited from Santhome church to the War Memorial on Kamarajar Salai from 6 am to 10 pm on all the above four days. Besides the change in the bus routes plying on these routes, the bus stand at Anna Square will be temporarily shifted near Walajah road guest house. Source: The News Minute Three bridges in North Chennai to be retrofitted Plans are underway to…

Double property tax for building law violation Double the property tax will now be applicable to buildings constructed in violation of bylaws. State cabinet has approved an amendment to the Karnataka Municipalities Act to affect the change. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said the tax doubling would apply only to the portion of the built-up area that violates bylaws. BBMP will be able to levy the additional tax as soon as a notification is issued in tune with the cabinet's decision. However, the double property tax does not absolve violators, Madhuswamy clarified; they would have to pay…

This article is part of a special series: Safety of women in Indian cities On January 7 2020, more than seven years after the brutal gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in a moving public vehicle in Delhi, a death warrant was issued against the four convicted. The death sentence in the ‘Nirbhaya’ case as we have come to call it, ordered by the court to be carried out on January 22nd, has been hailed by many who see it as the final delivery of justice in a case that had shocked the nation and led to huge public…

A compilation of in-depth articles, resources and opinion, to inspire thought and concrete action towards becoming a safer country for women. Representational image. Pic: Biswarup Ganguly/Wikimedia Commons From December 2012 to November 2019, from Nirbhaya to Disha, from Delhi to Hyderabad -- with Kathua, Unnao, Chennai, Jaipur and countless others in between -- the spate of crimes against women in India continues unabated. Neither a seven-year-long trial ending in a verdict of capital punishment for rapists in the Nirbhayacase, nor the encounter killing of alleged rapists in Hyderabad raises reasonable hopes of stemming the violence and reducing the vulnerability of…

Chennai gets AC buses again After nearly a gap of one and a half years, MTC has re-introduced AC buses in the city again. The AC buses have been launched on two routes: Dr MGR Bus Terminus in Koyambedu to Siruseri via Velachery and Thiruvanmiyur to Tambaram. The minimum ticket price has been fixed at ₹15 and the maximum is ₹60 till Siruseri. The MTC further plans to add five more routes. Source: The Hindu Chennai ranks third highest in the no. of murders in metros Chennai has seen a consistent rise in the number of murders according to the…

Activists protest 'film city' plan at Hesaraghatta As the BJP government is reviving the proposal to set up a film city, apparently at Hesaraghatta, environmental activists are getting ready for a fight. One section of activists has written to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, asking him to drop the 345-acre grassland as a possible location for a film city as it would create a biosecurity threat to animal farms nearby. Environmentalists explained that the Hesaraghatta lakebed area, and grasslands in the nearby catchment, are an important reservoir of biodiversity. It could act as a large carbon sink, a powerful tool to…

To encourage a culture of reusing stuff and reducing waste generated to create a positive impact on the planet, Chennai Corporation is organising an exciting event on January 12th and 13th - the "Reuse and Reduce Sale." Citizens can donate various lightly used items in good condition that they wish to part with, for the R & R sale where these will be sold at nominal price. You can also swap similar items at the sale venue. Scroll down to get more details regarding the event: What can you donate? (All items must be in good condition) 1) Children's toys/playthings…

Evictions near the Cooum in Triplicane Around 3000 families along the banks of the Cooum river near Triplicane were evicted forcibly by the Chennai police and slum clearance authorities on December 30th. The eviction drive is part of the river restoration project. The families residing in Gandhi Nagar, Sathyamoorthy Nagar and Indira Nagar were evicted without notice, prompting protests from the residents. The residents lamented that the move would leave many without homes and would affect the continued education of many of the school and college-going children. The settlements that have been evicted have seen residents living there for nearly…

Mittiganahalli landfill to be delayed The Urban Development Department (UDD) turned down a bidder chosen by the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) for setting up a scientific landfill at Mittiganahalli near Hennur, and asked BBMP to initiate a fresh tender process. BBMP had hoped to dump waste in the Mittiganahalli landfill since the landfills at Bagalur and Bellahalli quarries had already been overflowing. But UDD rejected the bidder on grounds that he was not technically qualified, having had prior experience only as a sub-contractor and not as primary contractor. Garbage management in the city is likely to be hit since…

Spanish firm to keep Chennai clean Chennai Corporation has issued work orders to a Spanish firm for conservancy operations in seven zones. The firm will be paid based on performance indicators and not based on the tonnage of waste, which has been introduced for the first time in the country. The firm will take over collection and transportation of waste including doorstep collection, street sweeping and handling of domestic and hazardous waste for a period of eight years. The key performance indicators framed by the Corporation include primary collection, street sweeping and collection, secondary collection and transportation and complaint redressal.…