Pink Squad looks into the safety of women travelling in Chennai Metro Rail
The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) conducted a survey last year on the safety of women passengers in metro trains. The majority of the 12,000 women who took part in the survey opined that they felt safe travelling in the metro trains. However, they have concerns over male passengers occupying the seats in women’s coaches. In a bid to address this issue and to further improve the safety of women passengers, CMRL has recruited around 25 women, who are trained in martial arts, to patrol on the metro trains and stations. This ‘Pink Squad‘ was launched on February 15 and will ensure round-the-clock patrolling.
Source: The Hindu
More than a decade-long struggle finally brings representation of local fishers to the Chennai Coastal Zone Management Authority
The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification 2011 mandates at least three representatives from local coastal communities, including fisherfolk, as members of the district coastal zone management authority (DCZMA). However, it has taken 13 years to bring this to reality. The newly-formed DCZMA for Chennai have 12 members with the district collector as chairman. This includes three fishermen namely Jeyakumar from Washermanpet, K Bharati from Nochikuppam, and K Saravanan from Uroorkuppam as members of DCZMA for a tenure of three years. Notably, Chennai is among the first districts to implement the notification.
Source: The New Indian Express
Read more: Why Chennai fisherfolk oppose the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan
GCC plans to relay 1,173 Chennai roads in 2024-25
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) maintains 488 Bus Route Roads and 34,640 interior roads. In 2021-22, GCC planned to relay 1,656 roads covering 313 km at the cost of Rs 213.19 crore. Of this, works have been completed for around 1,550 roads, while the remaining works are underway. Similarly in 2022-23, works for relaying more than 3,600 roads were taken up at an estimate of Rs 427.51 crore. Of this, works for 2,693 roads worth Rs 297 crore have been completed so far. Further, as many as 6,327 roads we planned to be re-laid in 2023-24, of which works have been completed for 2,469 roads. Meanwhile, funded by the State Finance Commission, GCC plans to relay 1,173 roads in the upcoming financial year.
Source: DT Next
North Chennai Thermal Power Project Stage 3 at the final stage of testing
The work on the Rs 5,702-crore-worth 800-megawatt (MW) North Chennai Thermal Power Project Stage 3 was started in 2016. It was supposed to be completed by 2019 but was delayed due to various lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a news report in The Hindu, the final stage of testing for the power station is underway. The letter requesting the completion certificate (CC) and permission to start commercial operation was sent to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in July 2023. Once the Ministry gives its approval and the completion certificate (CC), Chief Minister MK Stalin will inaugurate the plant for commercial operation. The plant, which is aimed at preventing dependence on power purchases is said to generate 1.92 crore units of power daily.
Source: The Hindu
Read more: Industrial pollution in Chennai: Through the lens of the toxic tour
GCC plans to launch ‘Reading Zones’ in 10 Chennai parks
In a bid to provide access to books in areas that predominantly have slum pockets and to inculcate reading habits among the public, GCC has planned to set up ‘Reading Zones’ in 10 parks across Chennai, especially in North Chennai. The Reading Zones will have a variety of books ranging from short stories, biographies and novels. Accordingly, two such Reading Zones were launched in Raghavendra Park and May Day Park in the Royapuram zone earlier this week. Other such Reading Zones will soon be set up in MRF Garden and Poonthottam CPS parks in Zone 1 (Tiruvottiyur), V.S. Mani Second Main Road and MMDA Park in Zone 2 (Manali), Padmagiri Park Phase 1 and KKR Garden Park in Zone 3 (Madhavaram), GNT Road Ansa Garden and Jeeva Park in Zone 4 (Tondiarpet). The public is also invited to donate the books for these Reading Zones.
Sources: The Hindu and Times of India
[Compiled by Shobana Radhakrishnan]