Articles by Varun Sukumar

If you look at the last six months, Chennai has adopted a strategy that in some ways is similar to other large cities in the country: go into intense lockdown, lift some restrictions and back into selective lockdown again. Chennai has spent more days under intense lockdown than any other large metropolitan city in the country. While it’s technically still under lockdown, there have been significant relaxations that could see further easing over the next few weeks, but the incidence of cases in the city hasn’t caused any big spikes in the recent weeks. Source: https://www.covid19india.org/state/TN An overview of figures…

According to a 2018 Ease of Mobility Index report from the Ola Institute, Chennai emerged on top when it came to public transport usage, with 75% of the population opting for public transport; buses being the most widely used.  The MTC bus system in Chennai has proven to be most popular due to high daily frequency, capacity, affordability and accessibility. The main patrons have been those who are in lower income groups such as daily wage labourers who often have to travel long distances to their place of work. In the foreseeable future however, the daily commute of Chennai residents…

As the second most populous country in the world, and among the most densely populated, India continues to be at high risk of spread of the extremely contagious novel coronavirus disease, with millions vulnerable. Hence, the Indian government announced a stringent lockdown from March 25 until May 3, on all activity except delivery of essential services. Even as the lockdown has been extended to May 17, the government has now initiated phased lifting of restrictions in various locations based on the severity of the spread. As of May 3, Tamil Nadu had more than 3000 cases with Chennai being one…

It's been one year since Phase 1 of Chennai Metro became operational over the entire stretch. While ridership numbers over the last five years have been reasonably  high, with more than 6 crores using the city's newest form of public transport (3.2 crore in 2019 alone), the Metro continues to be bogged down by some basic issues that have yet to be resolved. The original aim was to carry 7 lakh passengers per day, a target that the Metro will likely take years to hit and build capacity for. One of the primary challenges towards attaining higher ridership numbers will…

Chennai has welcomed globalisation and liberalisation with open arms. As India’s largest auto hub with multiple automobile manufacturers setting up shop in the outskirts of the city, and being home to many IT services companies employing more than a lakh people, Chennai, with its concentration of skills and activities, is today an important centre for both manufacturing and services. Which in turn is facilitated by other ancillary services such as transportation and communication. In a modern economy such as this, changes take place rapidly or over a period of time. Infrastructure for example, is perhaps the most tangible manifestation of…

How adaptive are urban citizens today when it comes to technology? Digitisation not only plays a central role in any smart city once it’s established, but also lays the path to getting there. Along the way, its various stakeholders – private companies and businesses, local and state governments and equally importantly, its citizens -- all need to be in sync for a smart city to thrive. The challenge however, not only for Chennai, but for any city under the smart city mission is adoption of technology. Ultimately, it’s citizens who should be able to easily adopt and reap the benefits…

As with any large urban centre, Chennai contributes most towards the economy of Tamil Nadu. Economic activity is concentrated in and around Chennai; multiple factories and manufacturing units are located on the outskirts of the city and there is significant commercial and residential expansion as well. This means, the city also consumes more energy and resources and as a result generates more waste in many forms. The effects of climate change cannot be ignored. Over the past few years, Chennai has witnessed extreme weather events -- from historical flooding to more recently, acute water scarcity. As the city continues to…

It will perhaps be a long time before Chennai can witness any spell of heavy rain without getting jitters over the nightmarish memory of December 2015. The 2015 floods that devastated the city exposed the state of urban planning in the city. The lack of resilience to natural disasters remains one of the greatest concerns of the people of one of India’s largest cities.  What should be noted is that certain parts of Chennai experienced greater flooding than others and this impacted rescue and relief efforts. Poor urban planning, coupled with an expanding population that requires more space, leads to…

Since the introduction of the Metro, Chennai’s transportation landscape has undergone quite a change. For those who use private transportation and MTC buses, traffic congestion is a serious issue. The reach or coverage of forms of public transportation such as suburban trains and metro are not extensive enough. Hence, for many, using a combination of private and public transport or more than one form of public transport is part of a daily routine. In a city that’s home to people of different socio-economic backgrounds, this mix is an opportunity as well as an incentive for smart city goals of making…

For a city as dense and expansive as Chennai, it is not surprising that the city corporation has its hands full in terms of public works, and particularly so in the area of waste management. According to the 2011 census, the population density is over 26,000 persons/sq km. The sheer number of households, not to mention offices and factories, ensures that the city generates a large amount of waste. That, however, is not an aberration even when one looks at the country as a whole. India is slated to become the third-largest consumer market globally by 2030. According to a…