City: Chennai

The last decade has seen an enormous growth in private vehicles in Chennai, with the city home to around 42 lakh two-wheelers and 88 lakh cars in the city according to data from the State Transport Department. The steady increase in number of vehicles has brought with it several problems such as congestion, air pollution and road accidents.  Waking up to the ballooning problems created by this explosion of vehicles as also the mobility needs of those who cannot afford private modes of transport, there have been efforts to improve public transport and add new modes for people to get…

It is a rough journey for the Adyar River as it flows from Adhanur village of Kancheepuram district to Chennai. At  suburban Tambaram, the water body is greeted with a barrage of sewage that turns the muddy water pitch black. Further down  at Tiruneermalai, heaps of biomedical waste are let into the waters. As it flows through Anakaputhur, industrial effluents pollute the water, leaving an unbearable stench. And at Kotturpuram, the river is almost walled in by construction material and solid waste thrown on its banks.  Dumping at Kotturpuram: Not a new story The illegal dumping of construction waste is…

It has been raining on and off in Chennai over the past few weeks. And yet, 59-year-old P Mary from Saidapet has a recurring nightmare waking her up in the middle of the night every other day. In her dream, she is invariably exerting herself on the lever of the hand pump. After what seems like endless minutes of strenuous labour, water drips from the tap, drop by drop, a pale yellow colour. Reluctantly, she empties the pot, for there's a perceptible stench emanating from the water. Now, she has to again pump for another five minutes in order to…

The oft associated image of T Nagar's Pondy Bazaar as a chaotic shopping hub where pedestrians jostle with vendors and navigate signboards (of shops) placed on the already cramped space of the footpath is all about to change. With the construction of a dedicated Pedestrian Plaza as part of the Chennai Smart City mission, the entire stretch is to get a makeover.  The ambitious project aims to create a safe space for pedestrians and regulate traffic on Thyagaraya road. Apart from widening of the footpath, parking will also be revamped to a large extent. The completed pedestrian plaza is set…

Pallikaranai marsh among 4 other wetlands in the state to get priority tag The Central government, under its initiative of wetlands rehabilitation has given 4 wetlands including the Pallikaranai marsh  its priority tag. Accordingly, these wetlands cannot be developed without any further approvals and all encroachments, dumping of debris, waste and sewage should be stopped with immediate effect. The state government has also been asked to prepare an outline management plan for these wetlands, for the next 5 years, to be submitted within 3 months. Once the plan is approved, the state government can seek funds to manage these wetlands.…

One of the older and more populous neighbourhoods, T Nagar is at the focus of several initiatives under the smart cities mission in the city, with many of smart city projects dedicated to its improvement. However, in a case of what is called missing the forest for the trees, a skywalk proposed to decongest the busy Ranganathan street may merely end up creating new infrastructure that most residents deem unnecessary. A  safety hazard in the making When one talks of encroachment of public places, T Nagar stands as a prime example. Ranganathan Street which is a 30-feet road, has been…

Picture this: No jet black smoke from vehicles. No constant noise from engines. No toxic carbon-laden air to choke your lungs as you walk along a city thoroughfare. It might sound Utopian now, but if there is a boom in electric mobility, this ideal could well become reality on Chennai roads. One of the first steps towards that has been by a private auto service provider, Makkal Auto, which rolled out the city’s first electric auto last week (August 25), . The initiative has garnered appreciation from Chennaites for two reasons: one, electric autos would reduce emissions and pave the…

Chennai gets its first electric bus The first electric bus in the city was flagged off between Chennai Central and Tiruvanmiyur early this week. Built as per the specifications suggested by Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the bus can run up to 200 km after swapping the battery every 40 km. The minimum fare is Rs 11 and the fare for end to end travel is fixed at Rs 25. The first bus was launched as part of the proposal to introduce two electric buses in Chennai. The Union government has sanctioned 525 electric buses for Tamil Nadu under…

For decades, buses have been the public transportation of choice in Chennai. But recent numbers indicate that this might be changing. With increase in fares, growth in number of private vehicles and alternative modes of transport, it's now a case of buses missing the people of Chennai. A report by the Ministry of Road Transport highlighted that in 2015-2016, MTC carried the highest number of passengers per bus per day at 1270. However, a variety of reasons has led to a steep drop in ridership in the city buses over time.  Bus ridership over time  The MTC has been one…

With Ganesh Chaturthi just around the corner, beautifully crafted Ganesh idols have begun to brighten up the streets of Chennai. Even though the colourful, plaster of Paris idols are visibly high in number, clay ones are in the market too. According to Kumudha R, a vendor at Mylapore market, the demand for clay idols has been increasing, thanks to the awareness generated on eco-friendly or 'green' festivals. “People have become more aware of the damage caused by Plaster of Paris idols. So they opt for mud ones,” says Kumudha.  The demand is evident from the increasing price of clay which…