AIADMK, DMK and MNM release candidate list
| Constituency | AIADMK | MNM | DMK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avadi | K Pandiarajan | Udaya Kumar | S M Nasser |
| Maduravoyal | Benjamin | Padmapriya | K Ganapathy |
| Ambattur | V Alexander | Vaideeswaran S | Joseph Samuel |
| Virugambakkam | Virugai N Ravi | Snehan | AMV Prabhakar |
| T Nagar | B Sathya Narayanan | Pazha Karupaiah | J Karunanidhu |
| Mylapore | R Natraj | Sri Priya | T Velu |
| Pallavaram | Chitlapakkam S Rajendran | Senthil Arumugam | E Karunanidhi |
| Tambaram | K M Chinnaiah | Siva Elango | S R Raja |
| Tiruvottiyur | K Kuppan | Not announced | K B Shankar |
| Villivakkam | JCD Prabhakar | Not announced | A Vetri |
| Saidapet | Saidai S Duraisamy | Sneha Mohandoss | M Subramanian |
| Velachery | M K Ashok | Santhosh Babu | N/A |
| Sholinganallur | K P Kanthan | Rajiv M R | S Arvind Ramesh |
| Anna Nagar | S Gokula Indra | V Ponraj | M K Mohan |
| Perambur | Not announced | S A Ponnusamy | R T Sekar |
| Madhavaram | V Moorthy | Ramesh Kondalasami | S Sudarsanam |
| RK Nagar | R S Rajesh | Fazil | J J Ebenezer |
| Kolathur | Adirajaram | Not announced | M K Stalin |
| Alandur | P Valarmathi | Sarath Babu | T M Anbarasan |
Source: Times of India | The New Indian Express
Read more: 6000 booths, strict COVID protocol, 80-plus to vote at home: District officer shares election plans
Special vaccine camps held across the city
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has initiated a vaccination drive at the Koyambedu market. Traders above the age of 60 and those with comorbid conditions between 45 and 59 years of age would be vaccinated at the mini-clinic on the premises. With elections around the corner, the corporation has begun inoculating election officers. The special camps for various categories is aimed at increasing the pace of vaccination and covering vulnerable groups.
Even as the vaccine drive is underway, the civic body has shut down two branches of a famous restaurant chain in Chennai as its employees were found to be COVID-positive. This comes after Chennai recorded more than 200 cases after many days.
As of March 10th, a total of 2,15,035 people have been administered the COVID-19 vaccine in Chennai and 18,814 people have received the vaccine on March 10th alone.
Source: DTNext
Also read: COVID vaccines: Citizens need better communication and information
CMRL to scrap 4 metro stations in Phase 2?
The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) is mulling over scrapping four Metro stations including the ones at Doveton Junction, St Joseph’s College, Foreshore Estate and Natesan Park in the Phase 2. The tenders floated for kickstarting the construction work finds no mention of these stations.
In general, the metro stations are planned for every 1 km to make it easy for evacuation during emergency times. However, these stations will be within 600m to 850m.
CMRL officials state that this move could help them save on time and construction cost. It should also be noted that the Metro rail agency had taken a slew of measures to bring down the total cost of the project to Rs 61,843 crore from Rs 89,000 crore.
Source: The Times of India
Integrated township in suburbs on cards
The state government is planning to develop an integrated township project near Vandalur to Mudichur stretch in about 20 to 30 acres of land. A report has been submitted on the development of 50 metres adjoining the Outer Ring Road (ORR) and large-scale activities that can potentially be carried out by merging some pieces of the lands.
This is the third feasibility report that has been prepared on the development of the 50 metres strip. A few years ago, L&T Ramboll had submitted a report on it and Tamil Nadu Road Development Company (TNRDC) and CMDA had delegated SOWIL Limited to prepare a Detailed Feasibility Report (DFR) for ORR in 2004 but the project was not implemented during both instances.
Source: The New Indian Express
Also read: Chennai citizens raise objections to CMDA’s city expansion plans
Only 10% of MTC’s new buses disabled-friendly
While the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has procured new buses for operations, disability rights’ activist Vaishnavi Jayakumar has filed a petition seeking better facilities in them at the Madras High Court. The petitioner has stated that only 10% of the new buses would be disabled-friendly and another 25% would have a lift/other mechanism.
According to Vaishnavi, the lift mechanism would not be suitable for the roads in Chennai and added that it would be impossible to halt the bus until the person with disability boards the bus. She also pointed out previous orders passed by the court that ruled that the new buses should be disabled-friendly and requested the court to stay the new order that violates the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act and Rules.
Source: The Times of India
Also read:
- How does MTC decide bus routes in the city?
- How can MTC plan for short and long term challenges post-COVID?
- Why persons with disability are unhappy with Chennai Metro
[Compiled by Bhavani Prabhakar]