Multi-level car parking lot to be inaugurated by end of February
By the end of February, the newly-constructed multi-level car parking lot on Thanikachalam Road in T Nagar will be inaugurated. The parking charges for cars will be Rs 20 for an hour and Rs 5 an hour for motorcycles. Parking will be facilitated through the GCC Smart Parking App. The facility will be linked with the command and control centre in Ripon Building for analysis.
Currently, the facility is being tested with the trial of the lifts, using cars of various models and different sizes. While the lot was originally intended to be inaugurated in January, the delay has led to traffic congestion in the neighbourhood.
Source: The Hindu
Read more: Street parking to be charged soon in city: Raj Cherubal, CEO, CSCL
New FASTag norm throws traffic out of gear
The recent decision by the Union Road Transport Ministry to double charge users for not having FAStag led to teething troubles early last week. From February 15th, the Central government has mandated toll collection through FASTags.
In light of the demand, there was also a sudden surge in vehicle owners subscribing to FASTag. The rush led to a delay in creating new accounts and recharging. The resulting issues led to traffic congestion on Old Madras Road (OMR) near the toll plazas. Policemen were deployed in toll plazas in Chennai to regulate the traffic flow.
FASTags can be purchased online (through banking apps/FASTag mobile app/digital wallets such as GPay or Bhim) and offline (point-of-sale counters set-up at highways and RTOs). If it has been purchased from banks, FASTags can be recharged by logging into the bank’s website. FASTags purchased through other means can be recharged using credit/debit cards, UPI or PayTM.
Source: The Hindu | The Times of India
Read more: Complaints galore over FASTag malfunction at OMR-ECR toll plazas
Urbaser rolls out app for quick redressal
Urbaser Sumeet, the waste management concessionaire for seven zones (Teynampet, Kodambakkam, Adyar, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, Sholinganallur and Perungudi) in Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) limits, has rolled out Citizen App for speedy resolution of complaints related to garbage.
The application has a feature that can help residents to lodge, track and redress their complaints. It also provides easy access to senior officials to manage and monitor the public grievance redressal system with geo-tagged information. Residents can lodge the complaint along with a photographic evidence and GPS location.
The waste management company is also setting up sign boards with the QR code of the app, contact details of the zone’s supervisors and other officials.
Source: DT Next | The Times of India
Read more: New waste management system in Chennai: First impressions
Free bus pass for senior citizens scheme resumed
The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has resumed issuing free passes to senior citizens. The agency had temporarily withdrawn the scheme in view of the pandemic. Now, as the number of COVID infections have come down, it has been rolled back.
The application for the buss pass can be downloaded from the MTC website and submitted at bus depots across the city along with the necessary proof.
Source: The Times of India
Technology to be used in construction of new bus terminus
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) is considering adopting new technology for the construction of the Kilambakkam Bus Terminus. This move will help speed up the process and cut down costs while ensuring that the construction design of the city’s second bus terminus does not undergo any changes.
The agency has altered the construction technique where the elevation structures will be cast as pre-engineered structures, which are engineered at a factory and assembled at site. The previous plan involved the construction of all structures from scratch at the site.
The new technique also helps in completing the construction work soon and reportedly saves the CMDA Rs 2.5 crore. The project is expected to be completed by March this year.
Source: The New Indian Express
Compiled by Bhavani Prabhakar
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