Civic

On December 4 2023, Chennai plunged into chaos after Cyclone Michaung caused heavy rains and flooding in different parts of the city. The visuals of the Vadakkupattu Lake (Medavakkam Periya Eri) overflowing and breaking a compound wall, with cars in the nearby apartment blocks getting washed away because of heavy inundation, is a sight etched in the memories of residents. A citizen audit done by a group of residents and experts to investigate the causes of the large-scale inundation has laid bare the negligence of the State Water Resources Department (WRD). According to the detailed audit, the lack of proper…

Deaths on Mumbai’s railway tracks  A total of 2950 people died on the suburban railway tracks in Mumbai in 2023, says the latest data. Crossing the railway tracks and falling off a crowded train were the major reasons, apart from natural causes and suicides. The number is marginally more than last year when 2507 succumbed on the tracks.  The data compiled by the Government Railway Police showed that 1277 people were killed while crossing the tracks and 590 people died due to falling off the train.  “One suburban train has 12 coaches with a capacity of around 1,200 passengers, which…

Special buses to be operated for Pongal In view of the Pongal festival, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) will run 450 special buses from the city to six bus stands, from where mofussil buses will be operated. The special buses will be in operation for three days from Friday (January 12) to Sunday (January 14). Similarly, to facilitate the passengers returning to the city after the festival, an additional 50 evening and night buses will ply on January 17 and 18. On January 18 and 19 early mornings, 125 buses will be operated. Source: DT Next Ennore Creek to be…

BBMP serves notices on underpaying tax After a recent upgrade of its revenue division, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has begun to serve notices to defaulters who have underpaid or under-assessed their property tax for seven years. Munish Moudgil, Special Commissioner (Revenue), said that the KMC Act and the BBMP Act allow revenue officers to issue notices when they find properties being under-assessed to pay a lesser amount of tax. It requires revenue officers to survey a building. BBMP has issued notices to 20,000 property owners so far. However, many, including Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, have expressed disagreement that…

Part 1 of the series explained Bescom's responsibilities in terms of preventing accidents, and what citizens can do if they see a safety hazard.  Part 2 looks at what you can do if you suffer injury/property damage.  What happens in case of an accident? After any electrical accident, its cause is investigated by a separate department - the Department of Electrical Inspectorate under the Energy ministry. This department submits a report to the government, with a copy to Bescom. Additionally, Bescom has a committee, comprising a retired judge and a retired engineer, that visits the accident site, gathers information from…

As a teenager residing in Chennai, I observed a noticeable difference in the level of concern for safety between boys my age and myself, when in parks or outdoor spaces. While boys could play freely without feeling threatened, my own experiences were quite different. I would often be approached by unfamiliar men asking invasive questions, making me conscious of my vulnerability. This seems to be a shared experience among girls, not only confined to parks but extending to various public spaces. It brings to light a gender disparity in outdoor experiences, emphasising the need to establish a more inclusive and…

Last October, 23-year-old Soundharya and her nine-month-old daughter lost their lives to electrocution by a Bescom live wire in Hope Farm, Whitefield. In August, a Christ University student was burned by a live wire from an electric pole that fell when a vehicle accidentally pulled on an OFC illegally put up on the pole. What are Bescom's responsibilities in terms of preventing accidents? And what can you, as a citizen, do if you see a safety hazard, or if you suffer injury/property damage? Here is a guide. According to data Bescom shared with this reporter, 134 people died in Bescom-related…

GCC to prepare white paper on stormwater drains The Greater Chennai Corporation faced a lot of backlash over the state of stormwater drains during the recent floods. In response to that, Corporation Commissioner J Radhakrishnan said in this news report that the GCC will prepare a white paper, which will include an explanation of the much-criticised '₹ 4,000-crore-worth storm water drain works', the status of the project, where the drains worked and where they did not, and why. A flood audit will also be done by the GCC and the reports will be submitted to the government, he said. Source:…

KSRTC to induct 2,000 buses The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) plans to add 2,000 buses, of which 500 will be e-buses. It will also introduce Vehicle Tracking & Monitoring System (VTMS), a mobile app, and cashless travel. There will be 1,000 refurbished buses too. As the Shakti scheme had increased the demand for KSRTC buses, especially in rural areas, it is expected that 1,000 Karnataka Sarige buses will improve rural connectivity. Meanwhile, passengers will soon be able to pay through smart electronic ticketing machines (ETMs). Source: The Hindu, Bangalore Mirror Read more: Looking back at 2023: A review…

Toll for Mumbai Trans Harbour Link set at Rs 250 After much speculation over the amount of toll on the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, the state government has finalised the toll amount as Rs 250 per car one way. Earlier it was expected that a one-way journey, which cuts the travel time considerably between Navi Mumbai and south Mumbai, would cost as much as Rs 500. The 22-km long road, will connect Sewri in Mumbai and Chirale in Raigad and will have three exits. The longest sea bridge in India, it will reduce the travel time to 15 to 20…