Chennai Buzz: Cyclone Nivar aftermath | Cyclists’ plea to CMRL | More suburban trains on track…and more

Updates on key happenings in the city over the past week.

Cyclone Nivar ravages city

Cyclone Nivar made landfall near Puducherry on November 25th. It brought heavy rain and strong winds to Chennai. Ram Nagar in Velachery, parts of Madipakkam, Puzhuthivakkam, Pulianthope and KK Nagar are some of the localities that witnessed severe inundation as a result of the cyclone.

Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Commissioner G Prakash stated that high tide was one of the reasons behind inundation in the city. While Chennai’s flat gradient reduces the speed of water draining, the high tide makes it difficult to pump out water from areas with water stagnation. 

The commissioner further added that the various infrastructural projects implemented after the 2015 floods at the cost of Rs 2,800 crore and revival of 210 water bodies has helped the city handle the cyclone better. However, several pockets of the suburban areas bore the brunt of opening the sluice gates of Chembarambakkam reservoir.

The migratory birds stayed unaffected in Pallikaranai marshland and NIOT (National Institute of Ocean Technology) campus. The cyclone did not cause major damage to the wildlife in the urban jungle.

Three persons were killed due to rain-related incidents. The cyclone uprooted 267 trees.

Source: The New Indian Express | DT Next

Cyclists request CMRL to allow cycles on the metro

Cyclists in the city have requested the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) to allow them to carry bicycles on the metro trains. It is to be noted that the metro rail had earlier permitted travellers to carry their bicycles with them in the metro special class. The move was to promote eco-friendly transportation. But since the metro services resumed after the lockdown, the cyclists have not been permitted to carry the cycles.

In Bengaluru, the metro rail agency has been allowing users to carry foldable cycles . The Kochi metro rail agency does not pose any restriction in carrying bicycles in the metro. 

Source: The Hindu

Residents unhappy over BOVs parked in corporation grounds

With the new concessionaire Sumeet Urbaser managing the waste generated by a few zones, residents of Gopalapuram and T Nagar are unhappy over the usage of corporation grounds as parking lots for their battery-operated vehicles.

The youngsters and residents of the neighbourhoods regularly use the corporation grounds for playing, running, jogging and morning walks. However, the misuse of the space has irked the residents. 

According to a civic body official, the grounds have been given to the agency for parking their BOVs temporarily for a month. The firm would begin waste management generated by other zones from January. The official added that once the operations are streamlined, the grounds will not be used as parking lots.

Source: DT Next

Students, women vendors can travel in trains

In its updated travel guidelines, the Southern Railways has allowed women selling perishable items and sports persons to travel by suburban trains from November 30th.

The department has also permitted students or candidates attending examinations/ admission tests/ interviews to travel upon production of hall tickets and permission letters. For women vendors, it is mandatory to produce the vendor season tickets issued to them.

The number of train services has also been increased from 204 to 244 to accommodate more passengers.

It is to be noted that the suburban trains have been functional since November 5th. It was initially open for government employees, media and essential service sectors such as health, transport and sanitation.

Source: The Hindu

[Compiled by Bhavani Prabhakar]

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