GENRE: Voices

On the morning of January 31, a friend, Priya*, and I went to attend the public consultation for the ‘Pen Monument’ held at Kalaivanar Arangam. A group of us were attending the consultation, some in an official capacity and some as citizens who wanted to voice their thoughts on the issue. Little did we apprehend that this would lead to a long, traumatic experience for her, as some time into the consultation, she was sexually harassed by a group of men.If that wasn’t disturbing enough, she had to go through a seven-hour-long ordeal, just trying to lodge a police complaint…

After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) put out an open call on Twitter for suggestions on the upcoming BMC budget, over 1,000 responses poured in. Citizens, by virtue of their lived experience, have plenty to ask from the budget of the municipality, expected to be released today (February 4th) and likely to entail allocations of over Rs 45000 crore. As the city's most popular and effective citizen welfare and grievance redressal forum, we at Mumbai North Central District Forum (MNCDF) too have a list of demands from the municipality. Our network of 110 members come from different walks and areas…

On January 18th, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) asked people for their suggestions on the municipal budget, a step towards the making of a democratic participatory budget. And while there have been criticisms of the timing and structure of the call, many have responded. Below are a few suggestions from a few citizens, some of whom are experts in their fields. Rini Annie Cherian, program coordinator at Praja Foundation The 2022-23 BMC budget speech had made some progressive proposals for infrastructure and environmental rehabilitation of various locations in the city, but fell short in carrying forward the proposed plans of…

We live in Shivaji Nagar, which is part of Govandi, a heavily populated neighbourhood. We have always known that there is toilet scarcity here. After participating in a survey, we realised the situation is far more problematic than the lack of toilets. There is a total of 152 toilets, of which 27 are in the peripheral area, and the remaining 125 toilets are located in the site and services plots. However, only 96 toilets out of the total are functioning, and that is a major issue for us. This study also showed us many other problems we never knew about…

A famous colloquialism in Tamil about the need for protests translates roughly to say only a baby who cries gets the milk. In my many years of civic activism in Chennai and its suburbs, I have come to realise that constant vigilance and readiness to speak up for our needs are key tenets to achieving our objectives to improve the city and quality of life in the city. While much has changed, what remains constant is the need to raise our voices collectively to demand better from the powers that be.  Protests alone will not fix issues we face in…

On January 9, Shankar, a fisherman from Chennai, ventured into the sea along with other fisherfolk for work. When they were removing the net from the sea, he accidentally slipped into the water. The other fishermen on the boat rescued him and got him back on the boat. However, he ended up suffering from seizures. The fishermen were unable to move the boat without collecting the net spread out in the ocean and lost crucial hours before they could rush to the shore. They then alerted the emergency ambulance service 108 with the help of which first aid was provided…

There are few people more well-versed about urban planning in Mumbai than Shirish Patel. The civil engineer and urban planner has been around for decades, watching the island city grow into the suburbs. He has witnessed the skyward trajectory of infrastructure in the city and at the opposite spectrum, degradation, crumbling under the Rent Control Act, Urban Land Ceiling and Regulation Act (ULCRA), and over dependence on floor space index (FSI) rules. He designed India's first flyover, at Kemps Corner. And then, along with Charles Correa, he was the one of the first to suggest and draft a plan for…

“The pace of the Char Dham road project must be reduced to four kilometres a month from the present 40 kms a month. That is the only way to preserve the ecology of the region.” That was one of the many policy and governance issues recommended by Dehradun-based Dr Anil P Joshi in an exclusive interview with Citizen Matters in the wake of the land subsidence incident in Joshimath. Which, Dr Joshi emphasised, is very different from land slips, which are a completely different phenomenon. The interview covered a range of issues and recommendations for preserving the fragile Himalayan ecology.…

Many commuters in Chennai, especially senior citizens, take the buses as they are the cheapest mode of transport available.  The launch of the senior citizens travel scheme where we are provided ten coupons per month has certainly come as a relief to those who rely on the city’s buses. While this is a welcome move, there is certainly scope for improvements to the scheme that can make it more widely accessible.  Read more: Resources to help senior citizens through the COVID lockdown Travails of taking MTC buses in Chennai Poor fleet strength, irregular frequency in timings and rickety conditions of…

Versova intrigues me greatly. I recently relocated there from another city, and on my way to Madh Island for shoots, I would look out and watch the area intently. One evening, I set out to photograph the area. Versova exudes a very sophisticated vibe as soon as you arrive there. On either side of JP Road are several cafes, restaurants, studios, and casting offices, recruiting actors for films and television. Yari Road and Seven Bungalows are home to high-rise apartments and commercial buildings, some with enviable sea-facing views. A trip away by the Versova jetty is Madh island, a popular…