GENRE: In Focus

Rains pounded Chennai in the first week of November, reminding people of the horrors of the 2015 floods. But this time, the residents of Seethammal Colony were fast asleep, oblivious to the downpour. "When we woke up the next morning, we did not believe that it had rained the previous night," says A Sridharan, the vice-president of the Residents' Welfare Association of the colony, adding that the area used to be one of the hotspots of floods in Chennai until last year. However, this year, the newly laid stormwater drains (SWDs) were doing the job of keeping the roads free…

It is difficult to imagine a couple of constantly-overflowing garbage bins standing near a transformer being a part of so much history. But the ones you see at the tri-junction in Thiruvanmiyus where Malaviya Avenue Third Street bifurcates into the left and right of Sivakamipuram First Street in Thiruvanmiyur dominate the conversation in these parts.  For nearly a decade, efforts have been made by tenacious residents to transform the area by moving street furniture and getting the necessary infrastructure in place to prevent flooding. During this time, there have been recurring issues with waste management in the streets. If only…

Settling into a cosy corner at home with a mug of hot tea during the rains is the idea of a picture-perfect monsoon for many. However, when we relax indoors enjoying the drizzle, there is often someone out and about ensuring the roads are not inundated, that power lines stay intact, the drains are not clogged, and garbage is not strewn on the streets after a heavy downpour. Chennai's many frontline workers deal with these unenviable tasks even as they are unable to attend to their own needs or that of their families during these situations. With the impact of…

It was an encouraging clean air start of October for Delhi. The capital recorded five good AQI days in the first two weeks of October. But the good news ended there. The annual nightmare of poor to severe and very severe air quality in Delhi and adjoining areas soon returned. And with it, the annual nightmare of strict and systematic implementation of the different stages of the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the NCR which had kicked in from September 11th. Air quality had continued to deteriorate before and after…

Translated by Sandhya Raju தமிழ்நாடு மின் உற்பத்தி மற்றும் மின் பகிர்மான கழகம் (TANGEDCO) செப்டம்பர் 10-ம் தேதி மின் கட்டண உயர்வை அறிவித்தது. இதனால் மின் கட்டணம் 50% அதிகமாகலாம் என கூறப்பட்டது. எந்த அளவு மின் கட்டணம் உயரும் என்ற கவலையில் மக்கள் உள்ள்னர்.  இதனை சமாளிக்க என்ன நடவடிக்களை நாம் மேற்கொள்ளலாம் என குறிப்புகளை உங்களுக்காக இங்கே பகிர்கிறோம். முதல் 100 யூனிட் இலவசம் என்றாலும், 400 யூனிட் வரை ஒவ்வொரு 100 யூனிட்டிற்கும் அடிப்படை கட்டணம் ₹2.50-லிருந்து ₹4.50 ஆக உயர்த்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. 400 யூனிட் முதல் 500 யூனிட் வரை, ₹6 ஆகவும், 1000 யூனிட் வரை ஒவ்வொரு 100 யூனிட்டிற்கும் ₹1 முதல் ₹2 வரை உயர்த்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.  சென்னையில் வீட்டு உபயோகத்திற்கான புது கட்டணம். தகவல்: TANGEDCO Read more: Did your July electricity bill shock you? Here is…

In a previous article, we followed the delayed rehabilitation of the victims of a 2019 landslide in Kurar Village, Malad. After three years of living in the same place that killed 32 of their neighbours, 72 families were finally shifted to an SRA building in the area on August 22nd, 2022. That was only part of the story - 86 families were shifted within two months of the tragedy 30 km away to Mahul. This is their side of the story. Inteyaz Ansari gestures to two buildings, Building 10 and 31, in a sea of nearly identical buildings numbered 1…

The Greater Chennai Corporation has been working on stormwater drain (SWD) desilting and restoration work, along with the creation of new drains across the city, over the past six months. Building a stormwater drain network to cover the entire city can be a challenging task. The experience over the past months has established that regardless of the talent and knowledge of professionals involved in creating stormwater and flood management facilities, it is prudent to seek public input during the planning, design, maintenance and operation phases. With their knowledge of local practices and preferences, the public can bring to light issues…

This is the second and final part in the series on skywalks in the city. Read the first part here. Fifteen years after they were commissioned in 2007, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is now attempting to make skywalks more people-friendly in Mumbai, by installing escalators wherever required.  The BMC has now appointed a consultant to study if, where and how escalators could be installed in the 23 skywalks in Mumbai. The most recently inaugurated 24th skywalk at Jogeshwari (E) already has an escalator installed in it. Escalators have already been sanctioned at five skywalks on a pilot project basis.  The Mumbai…

L Kumar, a resident of Vadapalani, was on his way to T Nagar on his bike. It was one of those rare days when the weather in Chennai was pleasant and the road was free of traffic. All was well until Kumar encountered a herd of stray cattle which barged into the middle of the road abruptly. In an attempt to avoid colliding with the herd, he hit the brakes hard. He slipped from his bike and hit the ground. The accident left Kumar with a dislocated shoulder, a fractured elbow and injuries to both his legs. The bike was…

Citizen Matters has published in-depth articles and analyses on understanding the multiple causes of Bengaluru's flooding this year. So it was only pertinent to engage with citizens to understand the issues they faced in their homes and apartment complexes during the floods, and give them a platform to raise their queries. Challenges of rain-related problems, such as seepage, weakening foundations, damp basements, soil damage, not to mention potholed roads and footpaths, will predictably become more frequent as rainfall intensifies due to climate change. The first edition of Bengaluru Citizen Clinic, a format in which experts address specific questions from citizens…