City: Chennai

Aravind is a college student in Chennai. He also works as a bike taxi driver on a part-time basis. After his college hours, he logs into the mobile application and waits for a ride to be booked. He gets anywhere between eight to ten such bookings between 5 pm and 11 pm. Hailing from a middle-class family, he says, "My parents got me this bike on loan. I also got a bank loan to pursue my higher studies. This part-time job as a bike taxi driver allows me to at least meet my daily expenses and provide a little for…

Stray dog attacks 29 people in Chennai A stray dog in Chennai bit 29 people in less than an hour in the Royapuram area before being killed by locals suspecting it might have rabies. Witnesses reported unprovoked attacks, with victims sustaining deep cuts and bleeding. Twenty-four individuals had category three bites, with possible saliva transfer. The injured, including school children and senior citizens, were admitted to a nearby hospital for rabies prevention. The Greater Chennai Corporation sent the body of the dog for postmortem at the Madras Veterinary College to determine if it was rabies-infected, given its unprovoked aggression. Sources:…

In the past three months, the city has witnessed several instances of cattle attacks, some of them grave. Last month alone, at least three such incidents were reported from different localities in Chennai — one of them involved an elderly, speech and hearing impaired person, who was hit by a cow in Triplicane and suffered injuries (he later died in a city hospital of complications from other health issues). The urban challenges posed by stray cattle in public spaces have stumped both the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and citizens, while cattle owners, concerned about their livelihood, shy away from taking…

In the last couple of years, Rapido has become a well-known name in Indian cities. The ride-hailing platform, focussed solely on two-wheelers, has been gaining popularity in cities struggling to deal with congestion. Now the other major ride-hailing platforms - Ola and Uber - are also offering bike taxi services. Rapido has also become a household name as it were because of the recent spate of backlash against it and attempts to get it banned. Several states have banned the platform, cases have been filed in court and the tug-of-war between the company and state governments (Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and…

Every time motorists or pedestrians pass by Sembudoss street and Armenian street in George Town, they feel like they are part of a hurdle race that never seems to end. Apart from the fact that many of the roads in the locality are riddled with potholes, manhole covers which are protruding out on the road add to the misery of citizens. These unscientifically built structures that are quite a few inches above ground, pose a threat to commuters.  Apart from George Town, these utility hole chambers that are used for covering the underground drainage pipes, can be seen in several…

Greater Chennai Corporation coordinates with other departments to resolve civic issues Following the first widespread heavy rains this Northeast monsoon, the Greater Chennai Corporation received as many as 401 complaints as of November 15. This includes 276 complaints about water stagnation, 97 about faulty streetlights, 16 about trees, 5 about sewage overflow and 4 complaints about power supply disruption. Corporation Commissioner Dr J Radhakrishnan told the media persons that the GCC officials are coordinating with the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) and the Electricity department to resolve issues on sewage flow and junction boxes. The GCC is…

"I would like to go to a police station to file a complaint supporting a 60-year-old woman who is abused by her husband without being told by the police, 'You are already 60 years old. Why would you want to make a complaint against him now and file for a divorce?' I would like to walk into a police station and sit as I please without being lectured by any police personnel that I should not sit cross-legged as it is disrespectful," says Archana, a Chennai-based activist. while speaking about the safety of women in public spaces at the Gender…

As the city continues to grow and evolve, so does the need for robust fire safety preparedness. Chennai has had its fair share of fire accidents, claiming lives and gutting properties. This Diwali weekend, the fire department received more than 100 calls, most of them for minor incidents. According to the data from the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services, there has been a noticeable uptick in fire mishaps over the past few years. In 2022, Tamil Nadu recorded over 19,206 fire-related emergencies, and 67 lives lost to fire hazards. Property worth 29.76 crores was lost, underlining the financial impact…

Kavin*, a student of Class 6 in a private school in Chennai, was bullied by his classmates for a long time. He did not know how to seek help for his predicament until recently when the school appointed a counselling psychologist to ensure the mental health and overall well-being of its students. When the counsellor observed bullying by a few students, she organised a successful group session for all school children in that age group. While her meetings with the children had a positive impact on their behaviour, it was short-lived as the counsellor had to quit the job owing…

Mosquito breeding sites identified by GCC The Greater Chennai Corporation has located sites where there is extensive mosquito breeding in the city. The civic body has tagged 1500 such sites across the city. The sites include commercial buildings and spots that are under construction. The exercise has been underway since August. Thiruvottiyur zone has the highest number of mosquito breeding sites, followed by Manali.  Mosquito breeding and the onset of monsoon have caused a spike in Dengue cases in the city with the current tally for the year at 493. The civic body has undertaken several mosquito control measures in…