Civic

Find in-depth articles on common issues affecting daily life in our cities, and related to community responses and action around these issues. The articles provide insights into the complexities of managing and improving urban livability and citizen engagement.

In Dehradun’s narrow lanes, mayoral election banners flutter briefly, promising progress, before fading into obscurity. The sound of crackers and victory speeches fills the air, echoing through neighborhoods already too familiar with broken promises. Across Uttarakhand’s urban towns and cities, local body elections were recently held, leaving behind a growing unease—a sense of democracy as a ritual, devoid of impact. Amid this fleeting spectacle, a sentiment stirs quietly but persistently: Why vote when nothing changes? This question reflects more than frustration; it reveals a deeper disconnection between governance and the people it serves. Much like Gregor Samsa in Kafka’s Metamorphosis,…

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"I have been interested in politics ever since I was a 10-year-old girl as my family has been part of DMK for generations," says Pavithra Nareshkumar, Councillor of Ward 43 in Chennai, speaking about her political journey. She spoke to Citizen Matters about the measures she has taken to address the civic issues in Ward 43 of Chennai, especially for flood mitigation and improving underground drainage systems in the ward. Ward 43 Name of Councillor: Pavithra Nareshkumar Party: DMK Age: Educational Qualification: Contact: 9445467043 / 8939536466 Pallavan Nagar slum, Nagooran Thottam, Thideer Nagar, Kasipuram, Pudhumanai Kuppam, Singaravelar slum and Chokkalingam…

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Iconic Secunderabad station getting a ₹700-crore facelift The ₹700-crore upgrade of the Secunderabad Railway Station is set for completion by 2026. According to sources, around 27% of the work has been executed. The station will feature state-of-the-art architecture that blends tradition with modernity. The South Central Railway (SCR) has initiated the demolition of the iconic Secunderabad Railway Station’s main terminal buildings. It will address long-standing infrastructural issues, including plumbing deficiencies and passenger amenities in 180 trains. The station gets a daily footfall of 1.5 lakh commuters. The railway authorities will construct terminal buildings on both the northern and southern sides.…

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Car and two-wheeler horns are unrelated to vehicular motion. Yet, a closer look at our busy roads reveals a constant din caused by drivers honking relentlessly, even when unnecessary. Once serene residential areas now reverberate with the cacophony of different horn sounds. The noise at traffic signals and bottlenecks is hitting deafening levels of around 90 decibels (dB), and vehicle drivers ignore 'silence zones' near schools and hospitals. People continue to have multi-toned and high-pressure horns, which they use out of habit, while many vehicles have their silencers modified.  Numerous articles and awareness campaigns in Bengaluru and other cities have focussed…

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Poor crowd management blamed for Maha Kumbh stampede The Maha Kumbh Mela stampede in the early hours of January 29th in Prayagraj led to at least 30 deaths and 60 people being injured. Large crowds flocked to the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh, on Mauni Amavasya, a day considered auspicious for the ritual dip. There were about 10 crore pilgrims.  Just a few hours later, another stampede-like situation three kilometres away at Jhusi resulted in deaths of at least seven, including a child, said police sources. Strangely, the authorities remained silent about this incident.  Uttar Pradesh authorities drafted guidelines on…

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Draft policy for affordable transport Major reforms are needed to address urban mobility challenges, according to the citizen’s draft policy for affordable public transport by Greenpeace India and the Public Transport Forum. The policy was developed by consulting experts and citizens. The policy document recommends universal fare-free transport through “climate tickets,” improved investment in public transport infrastructure and more inclusivity in workforce policies. The main issues that need to be tackled include inadequate bus services, underfunding and overemphasis on road expansion. The draft police recommended Road infrastructure funds can be reallocated to public transport, which could double city bus fleets,…

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AP Poornima, a physician by profession and Councillor of Ward 87 in Chennai, says she was always drawn to politics. Her political journey began early, starting as a class leader in school and later becoming a student councillor in college. "It has always been my passion to enter politics," she says. "Gone are the days when only people with less educational qualifications made politics their career. Many youngsters get the opportunity to contest in elections these days and I see it as a good sign," she adds. Ward 87 Name of Councillor: Dr AP Poornima Party: DMK Age: 32 Educational…

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Over 200 Olive Ridley turtles die in Chennai A high-level review meeting is scheduled for January 20 to discuss the alarming rise in the deaths of Olive Ridley turtles in Chennai. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued notices to the Tamil Nadu fisheries and forest departments over the carcasses of the endangered species found on the city beaches. Almost 40 Olive Ridley turtles perished on January 15, the highest number of deaths recorded on a single night between Marina and Neelankarai beaches. Ten more were found between Neelankarai and Kovalam on the same night.  By January 16, the Students Sea…

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Precautions against HMPV across Indian cities In Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad and Rajkot civil hospitals, isolation wards have been created as precautionary measures against the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV). Just a day earlier, the State government revealed that a two-month-old boy had been admitted with the infection. In Mumbai too, a six-month-old was admitted to a hospital after testing positive for the virus. A respiratory virus infection was reported in Bengaluru too. Sources said that HMPV affects the upper and lower respiratory tracts and is a risk to all vulnerable groups, including young children, the elderly and those with weak immune systems.  …

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Ridership shoots up in Chennai, Kochi Metros Chennai Metro Rail's patronage increased by 1.41 crore in 2024, with 10.52 crore using it, compared to 9.11 crore in the previous year. The ridership is nearly one-third of the total 35.53 crore passengers using Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) services for more than nine years since June 29, 2015. While the ridership for CMRL to break even was 4.33 lakh per day in its initial three years since June 29, 2015, the Chennai Metro catered to only 2.8 crore till December 31, 2018. Meanwhile, the Kochi Metro set a new monthly ridership…

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