To begin with, a quick update on the pandemic. On November 13th, Chennai recorded 565 fresh COVID cases. The day also saw 681 recoveries and six deaths. And now, for other important news that you may have missed this week:
Consultant appointed to chart organisational structure for CUMTA
The World Bank has appointed Deloitte as a consultant for charting out an organisational structure for the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA). Reports state that the transport agency is likely to conduct the first meeting before the board meeting, which will take place in February 2021.
Deloitte has been entrusted with the responsibility to devise a proposal for appointing employees and day-to-day activities. The consultant has also begun their engagement with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and other stakeholders.
CUMTA’s first meeting was to be held in 2019. However, it did not happen due to the conditions laid by the World Bank on reorientation under the Chennai City partnership programme.
Source: The New Indian Express
North Chennai police map streets that are flooded often
In view of the northeast monsoon, the North Zone of Greater Chennai Police has mapped over 76 streets in Madhavaram, Flower Bazaar and Washermenpet police zones that experience frequent waterlogging.
Flower Bazaar district has 21 inundation spots, Washermanpet, 33 and Madhavaram, 22. Some of the locations identified in the these zones are: Prakasam Slaai, Walltax Road, NSC Bose Road, Mannady Metro, Stanley Subway, Maniappan Street, Ambedkar Nagar, Patel Nagar, T.H Road – Periyar Nagar Junction, GNT Road, Madurai Manavalan Nagar and Manali Express Road.
Source: The Hindu
11 additional water vending machines
The civic body has decided to set-up water vending machines across the city for the benefit of low-income groups. The city already has 50 such machines and the corporation has invited tenders for installing and operating 11 additional water ATMs at a cost of Rs 70 lakh.
The new vending machines will be installed on Corporation Colony Road in Kodambakkam, and Kamaraj Salai, Bakthavachalam Street, Bangaru Naidu Second Street, Thillaiyadi Valliammai Street, Rani Anna Nagar, at the junction of 60 feet Road and Anna Main Road, Muthuranganan Road, NGO Colony Main Road, 24th Street in and 10th Avenue in Ashok Nagar.
Source: The Times of India
WRD’s new project to increase water supply
With an aim to make Chennai a water-resilient city, the Water Resource Department (WRD) has submitted a detailed project report to increase water supply to the city by saving about 7.26 tmc ft and preventing flooding. The projects, with an outlay of Rs 464 crore, will focus to resolve the droughts and flood conditions in the city.
Flood water from the southern tributaries of Adyar river stored in check dams across the river in Varadarajapuram and Somangalam and Orathy reservoir is planned to be connected with Chembarambakkam in the project. This will in turn increase the water supply up to 2 tmc.
By implementing measures such as intra-basin transfer, building reservoirs and enhancing the storage capacity and conservation of flood water, the agency aims to increase the water supply and alleviate flooding.
Source: The Hindu
[Compiled by Bhavani Prabhakar]