URBAN PLANNING

When the Tamil Nadu government proposed to restore Avadi’s Paruthipattu Lake in 2016, the suburban residents rejoiced. The Public Works Department (PWD)-owned lake, spanning 87.03 acres was to be restored in a sustainable manner, at an expenditure of Rs 28 crore. Unfortunately, the work has been a curse, leading to untreated sewage water from 3,500 houses around flowing straight into the water body. The plan was to convert the Lake into an eco-park, much like the one at Chetpet, with boating facilities, a children’s park and walking track. It was expected that the water body would spring back to life…

Aggrieved residents of OMR have come together to write to the Chief Minister to address the water and sanitation issues faced by close to 400,000 families that reside in the area. The 100 or so resident welfare associations in the area that have come together under the banner of Federation of OMR Resident Associations (FOMRRA) called for immediate action by the Chief Minister. The move has been prompted by the recent and frequent strikes by private water tankers which are the primary source of water for the residents. A strike by the private tankers association that was due to take…

Sriperumbudur election results on May 23 saw the DMK’s TR Baalu emerge the winner. He beat his nearest rivals Vaithilingam A (PMK) and Sridhar M (MNM) with a comfortable margin. Sriperumbudur is one of the largest parliamentary constituencies in Tamil Nadu. It is a manufacturing hub and is home to many automobile production units. Sriperumbudur parliamentary constituency consists of Maduravoyal, Ambattur, Alandur, Sriperumbudur(SC), Pallavaram and Tambaram assembly constituencies. According to the Election Commission of India’s website, the constituency has a total of  2253041 voters. The constituency went to polls on April 18, 2019, in the second phase of the 17th…

Meet South Chennai MP elect: Thamizhachi Thangapandian promises to be a strong voice for women South Chennai had been a DMK bastion for a long time, until 2014. J Jayavardhan, son of AIADMK MLA, D Jayakumar became one of the youngest MP’s by winning against DMK’s T K S Elangovan. With the victory of first-time contestant Thamizhachi Thangapandian, DMK reclaimed South Chennai, which has had leaders such as C N Annadurai and Murasoli Maran. Thamizhachi Thangapandian secured over 5.6 lakh votes and won against Jayavardhan with a margin of 2.6 lakh votes. Hailing from a family with a political background,…

"Cutting down trees to build the Metro line just cannot happen without the permission of the Tree Officer," affirms M K Cholarajappa, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) and Tree Officer, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Cholarajappa's response is a firm and surprising counter to a press note released by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) on Friday. The note had announced that the construction of the Vellara Junction station in Richmond Town would not be stopped. This station is along Metro's Red Line, from Gottigere to Nagawara. Activists had opposed Metro construction here, claiming that it would involve cutting of…

“Enter via the big arch of the crematorium.” The ominous instructions to reach the Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in Pune perhaps foreshadow the fate that is looming for this green patch. Located off the busy Nagar Road in Pune, on the banks of the Mula Mutha river, the inconspicuous sanctuary shares an entrance with a crematorium and a garbage dump – not the most appealing welcome for visiting birds or birdwatchers. The slice of green, however, has been quietly attracting several species of birds and butterflies and houses a variety of trees and shrubs. But Pune’s booming infrastructure is…

Residents of Shenoy Nagar, especially those who live in the lanes around Thiru Vi Ka Park, all speak fondly of the time the park truly belonged to the people. They remember walking in the park as children, hosting events that were enjoyed by the community and taking refuge from the harsh Chennai sun in the cool shade of its many trees. But all this changed with the arrival of the Koyambedu-Shenoy Nagar-Nehru Park metro station. The park that was closed to residents in 2011 remains so after all these years, leaving only a yearning for the past and a fight…

Manifestos of the various parties do talk about different plans to improve cities. Here is a quick summary of the key points related to urban issues. The Indian National Congress(INC) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] in their manifestos have promised proper implementation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment and thereby the devolution of powers to local elected bodies. The INC plans on introducing mayoral reforms where the Mayor will be empowered and have a term of five years. Both parties plan on developing an Urban Policy. The CPI(M) plans to move away from the concept of ‘Smart cities’…

The disastrous floods of 2015 and the Ennore oil spill stand out in the list. In addition, the city’s air and water have become more polluted than ever before.The city’s garbage has continued to remain a threat to the environment and health of the people living in the city. Through Amirtharaj Stephen’s lens, a look at Chennai’s environment over the last five years. Since the 2014 national elections, the capital city of Tamil Nadu has witnessed major environmental calamities, from the disastrous floods of December 2015 to the giant oil spill outside Kamarajar Port at Ennore in early 2017. Apart…

Thiruvallur Parliamentary constituency is comprised of six assembly constituencies -- Madhavaram, Poonamalle, Avadi, Ponneri, Gummidipoondi and Thiruvallur. Once part of the Sriperumbudur constituency, Thiruvallur was carved out as a separate constituency in 2008 after delimitation. A total of 20 candidates are contesting from various political parties and as independent candidates from Chennai South. The Election Commission of India has rejected 17 applications for the constituency, while two of them withdrew after filing the nominations.  According to the election commission of India’s website, the constituency has a total of 1946242 voters: 961864 male, 984032 female and 346 transgenders. Thiruvallur shares its…