GENRE: Voices

The current administration has undertaken several infrastructure development activities across Chennai over the last few years. Roads have been resurfaced and stormwater drains (SWDs) have been constructed during this time. The members of the Perambur Neighborhood Development Forum have been engaging closely with the local authorities and contractors to monitor the quality of the civic work carried out in Chennai and ensure that they are up to prescribed standards. Our observations in this time have been that the civic body and the contractors have failed to properly adhere to processes when it comes to several works including the laying of roads.…

The release of the BBMP Street Dog Census 2023 on October 4th has generated significant attention in the media, primarily focusing on the survey methodology and the decrease in street dog numbers. However, beyond the headlines, the survey has implications for citizens and animal lovers. Census results The census shows a 10% drop in the street dog population from 3.1 lakh in 2019 to 2.9 lakh. While this number is adequate, and the reduction quite a relief, it could be much better with a more aggressive, effective and compassionate ABC (Animal Birth Control) programme. It is quite heartening to know…

An early adoption of universal adult franchise and a parliamentary system that has stood the test of time have ensured that every eligible Indian voter has a stake in national policies through their elected representatives. During the recently concluded G20 summit, India positioned herself as the ‘mother of democracy’ – patting herself on the back as a model of pluralism and participation. This claim however calls for some critical self-examination. Parliament functions not only as a space for deliberating and dissecting provisions of imminent laws. It is also the main institution seeking accountability for government actions and inactions. To this…

Mathew Idiculla, an independent legal and policy consultant based in Bengaluru and a visiting faculty at the School of Policy and Governance Azim Premji University, discussed the significance of public participation in urban planning and the views of urban planning experts in part 1 of this interview. In part two, he discusses the absence of an urban planning process and cites a few case studies to illustrate his point. CM: In 2015, you were a part of the BBMP restructuring committee. How was your experience being in the system? Mathew Idiculla: I accidentally became a part of the system. The…

Mathew Idiculla is an independent legal and policy consultant based in Bengaluru. He is a visiting faculty at the School of Policy and Governance, Azim Premji University. His main area of interest is the intersection of public law, politics, and public policy and his research and practice are focused on issues concerning cities, local governance, and federalism. At Azim Premji University, he teaches courses on Urban Governance in India and Urban Development: Law and Policy. In part one of Mathew's interview with Citizen Matters, he addresses the core concerns of urban planning in the city, in terms of lack of…

In a previous story, I highlighted how various streets of North Chennai have turned into an obstacle course for motorists due to road works. But bad roads are not the only issue that one faces in these parts. Blatant encroachment of footpaths has been a problem that continues to remain unaddressed. Pedestrians are treated as second-class citizens across the city. More so in areas where there are mixed-used zones where there are many commercial establishments. Many such streets are present where these shops and eateries have taken over footpaths, leaving pedestrians to jostle for space on the already poorly laid…

The whole of North Chennai will be the subject of a survey to identify gaps in infrastructure. This is part of the Rs 1,000 crore Vada Chennai Valarchi Thittam announced by the Chief Minister for the equitable development of the city. As many as 1,000 (some reports have it as 500) volunteers from city colleges have been roped in to conduct the survey, which it is said will cover the social, economic, and psychological aspects of life in that part of the city. As per a press release of the Greater Chennai Corporation, the survey will cover Tiruvottiyur, Manali, Madhavaram,…

Days come and days go. And as I write this, we are on the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, commemorated by the UN annually on September 7th. What this observance wants to achieve is of course pretty transparent and specific from the name itself. Sadly though, in our cities in particular, we seem to be quite far from that goal. Clean air is a luxury, blue skies a rare treat. This year’s observance comes close on the heels of the latest Air Quality Life Index report from the Energy Policy Institute, University of Chicago (EPIC), which says…

On the bylanes of Dockyard Road leading to Reay Road, lies a ‘basti’ popularly known as Darukhana. Its occupants are migrant families from states of northern India and occasionally some Maharashtrian families. This ‘basti’ or informal settlement, has approximately 7000 huts, which are small in size and occupied by large families.  There is a glaring lack of basic amenities, and most families do not possess basic documents due to migration and the informal nature of their work. While the elders make their living by doing odd jobs at the local fish jetty or in small scale industries and the unorganised…

Battered roads have become the new norm across the city of Chennai. Roads that were resurfaced over a couple of months ago are now ridden with potholes and craters. At every 10 to 50 metres, commuters are bound to stumble upon a road cut or a pothole or speed breaker or a manhole cover which is at least four to six inches higher than the surface of the road.  The reasons stated for poor roads have been that there is ongoing development work such as the construction of the metro rail or the creation of stormwater drains. As a result of…