EDITORS' PICK

Saritha and Krishna (names changed), residents of South Chennai, eloped and got married in May this year. As they belong to different castes, their families opposed the relationship, due to which the couple cut ties with the families and are living on their own now. However, every month is a struggle, as the family sustains itself on Krishna’s meagre income. Since a smart card would take care of their basic food expenses such as rice, dhal and sugar, the duo applied for it online. But, they could not complete the procedure, as the form requires deletion of their names from…

There is perhaps not a Chennaiite, who has not, at one time or the other, frequented the lanes of Parry's Corner, a commercial hub for wholesale plastic and paper products, clothes and electrical items. But ask any of them and it's unlikely to come across one who has visited the neighbourhood recently, but has not been left aghast at the pathetic state of affairs in this historic avenue. Narrow roads made narrower by illegally parked vehicles; cars, rickshaws and pedestrians jostling for space in bylanes that are barely 6 ft wide; unregulated packaging units adding to the mismanaged waste in…

Everyday, as we go about our daily commute in Chennai, we see these statues - silent sentinels of the past, standing tall and telling us their stories. Covered in bird poop or dust and often damaged, these towering sculptures are a witness to the city’s pollution and traffic snarls, apart from its history, of course. Except on occasions relating to the personalities (such as birth anniversaries) where they are cleaned up/renovated and garlanded, these statues are largely ignored in the hustle and bustle of daily life. Statues are often the targets of vandalism, as historian Nivedita Louis rightly explained, “Statues…

The elevated road corridor from Maduravoyal to the Harbour is back in the news. A Committee recently reviewed progress on the project with particular reference to the issues of land acquisition. Earlier in the year, it was decided that the road, planned originally for four lanes, will now be expanded to six. With all this, it appears that the project will take off once more, five years after it was stalled ostensibly for environmental reasons, while it was an open secret that the actual cause was political. The story then given out was that the piers for the elevated road…

Recently, the Karnataka police found itself in a rather embarrassing situation after its DGP for internal security division AM Prasad, was conned by fraudsters of  Rs 2 lakh through vishing (fake call fraud). In mid-June this year, Assam legislator Utpal Dutta was defrauded Rs. 14 lakh from SBI bank by cyber criminals. Former IAS officer C V Ananda Bose lost Rs. 3 lakh, an ex-Income tax officer from Nagpur lost Rs. 68 lakh from his retirement fund. A 16-year old Delhiite hanged himself after losing Rs. 29,000 to a fraud from an e-linked account, while a 49-year-old homemaker from Bengaluru…

In an earlier article on electric autos, we had explored how electric rickshaws could serve as a panacea both for the growing air pollution in Bengaluru, as well as the last mile connectivity issues that plague commuters in the city. We had even outlined the policy that exists with regard to introduction of such vehicles. But the transition from paper to practical use has its own challenges. Continuing that focus, we sat down for a chat with Omkareshwari, Joint Director, E-Governance and Environment, Department of Transport to discuss more about the official policy and get an idea of when e-autos…

Every Chennaiite feels a sense of pride and excitement when crossing Kathipara, Asia’s largest cloverleaf flyover that connects several arterial roads at the all important Guindy junction. Just a few yards from Kathipara in Guindy is the Guindy industrial estate, a hub for small and medium scale industries. But a ride inside the estate premises makes you wonder if this locality, with its toxic waste mountains, dangling EB wires and haphazardly parked vehicles is even in Chennai. Such is the stark contrast between the Kathipara area and the Guindy estate. Now and then Touted as Asia’s first production cluster, Guindy…

An untiring battle of the Ennore fishermen to save Kosasthalaiyar river from the clutches of Kamarajar Port proved successful as they scored an important victory after the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) rejected the Port's proposal to locate port facilities on the eastern banks of the Kosasthalaiyar’s backwaters in Ennore Creek. The fisherfolk, however, said that their battle to have all of Ennore Creek declared off limits for industrial projects will intensify. As part of the Phase 3 expansion, Kamarajar port had planned to develop facilities like office, commercial buildings and parking terminals on the eastern part…

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities At a time when diesel and petrol prices have gone through the roof, a certain ambiguity prevails among many vehicle owners and operators in Chennai. They mull over more economical options, and one auto rickshaw driver sums it up saying, “Anything that is not as expensive as petrol and diesel would help us make some profit.” While street-side discussions focus mostly on the cost aspect, an equally pertinent and critical angle is that of pollution. According to 'The Urban Commute And How It Contributes to Pollution and…

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities The 1.8 lakh and counting auto rickshaws on Bangalore streets are a boon and bane in equal measure. They are literally the last bastion for last mile connectivity in Bangalore but their role in mobility as a connecting cog to the main modes of transport (or access egress)  is unregulated, making them a bit of a nightmare. Public transport, which is often presented as a panacea for the unending nightmare of mobility in a city as crowded as Bangalore, is hampered quite often by issues of last…