GENRE: LN

It had been more than a decade since I had travelled by myself in an MTC bus. I was able to do so on my own with my wheelchair when low-floor buses were trialled in Chennai in February. As per a Madras high court direction, low-floor, accessible buses were taken on a trial along various routes in Chennai. The buses that run on Chennai streets at present are not accessible for any persons with disabilities. Almost all the buses are three feet in height, with a four-step approach. This meant that no person with disabilities was able to access the…

"It is terrifying to walk on Station Road in West Mambalam. There are shops and vehicles which dominate the space, and senior citizens like us are very vulnerable, especially due to encroachment," says Ganga Gopalan, a septuagenarian who visits the area often. Many residents of Chennai feel that the city is not pedestrian-friendly. Footpaths across the city have been taken over by various encroachments and obstructions that force pedestrians to walk on the streets and put themselves in danger. The city’s poor track record in protecting pedestrians is evidenced by a study that found that more pedestrians died in accidents…

"Transferring waste from one area to another area involves carbon footprint and it's an environmental injustice to dump garbage from one place at another, resulting in an unhealthy environment for residents of other areas," says Geo Damin, an environmental activist with Poovulagin Nanbargal. In recent years, Chennai has attempted to revamp its waste management system to reduce the quantum of waste reaching landfills. Under the decentralised waste management system adopted to achieve this goal, large apartment complexes and commercial establishments that are classified as Bulk Waste Generators (BWGs) are responsible for handling their own waste with the help of vendors.…

On April 24, 2023, 17-year-old, Shahrukh Zulfikar Shaikh, was killed in a truck accident at Malad, when he was cycling. The cyclist fell down after he lost control due when a rickshaw ahead swerved suddenly on his side. Last February, a 12-year-old cyclist was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he and his father were cycling in a group on the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road.  These deaths are a sad reminder of the dangers that await cyclists in the city. Professional cyclists say that cycling within the city roads is very unsafe and could be quite risky. Urban transportation planner Zohra…

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its manifesto, on May 1st, for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections. It lists 16 promises. They will provide three free cooking gas cylinders to all BPL families annually; one each during the months of Yugadi, Ganesh Chaturthi, and Deepavali. They will set up an Atal Ahara Kendra in every ward of every municipal corporation in the state to provide affordable, quality and healthy food across the state. They will launch the Poshane scheme through which every BPL household will be provided with half litre Nandini milk every day and 5 kg siri dhanya--through monthly…

A few weeks ago, Kottur Gardens resident Badrinath MP's 91-year-old father went for a walk in the area. During the walk, he was almost bitten by a street dog but managed to escape unharmed. Badrinath was himself chased by street dogs a few days later. Several such instances of dogs chasing two-wheelers or going after pedestrians have left many residents wary of street dog management policies in Chennai. Despite the existence of an Animal Birth Control (ABC) Programme in Chennai, the street dog management practices on the ground leave much to be desired. While the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) puts…

Katta in collegian Marathi refers to a hangout. The Cycle Katta is a platform designed for freewheeling discussions on everything around cycling. It seeks to inspire people by getting phenomenal achievers speak of their feats. It tries to educate them about nuances on health, nutrition, technical aspects and also how public policy looks at their activity. It also aims to build a better network of informed cyclists.  It is a completely volunteer-driven initiative with once a quarter meetings, and depends entirely on the largesse of the society - which stands to benefit if cycling grows - for the physical space…

For the first time in Mumbai, an entire stretch of highway has been reserved exclusively for runners and cyclists. The service lane stretch of the Eastern Express Highway between Ghatkopar and its connector to the Airoli bridge, will be barricaded and closed for vehicular traffic between 5 - 7.30 am so that walkers, runners and cyclists can train safely.  The traffic police implemented this measure following a plea from the Eastern Express Highway Runners group. The joint commissioner of police (traffic) Pravin Padwal told The Times of India that the idea was to mitigate risk of vehicular mishaps for fitness enthusiasts…

Traffic, or mobility in general, has been one of the biggest challenges Bengaluru has faced for decades now. While diverse solutions in the form of flyovers, underpasses, signal-free corridors, grade separators, and road-widening have been tried, the issue has defied a sustainable solution. Most experts have pointed out that the only way to solve congestion is to plan to move people, not personal vehicles, and that public transport is the best investment for the city.  Problem statement In the “Bengaluru Constituencies Datajam'', conducted by OpenCity.in on April 1st, we looked at public transport in terms of accessibility to Metro and BMTC…

In March 2023, a 55-year-old woman who rode pillion on her son’s bike was injured when the duo were chased by street dogs and attempted to escape from them. She passed away a week later. There have been reports of more injuries to individuals as a result of street dogs in Chennai in recent months.  Such incidents have prompted heated debates between those affected by street dogs in the city and animal welfare activists who seek better treatment of street and community dogs in Chennai.  Residents and activists have both pointed out failures in street dog management by the civic…