EDITORS' PICK | Citizen Matters, Chennai

Citizens in the dark as Corporation and CMDA ignore zoning laws at will

August 26, 2019 Laasya Shekhar

How can a residential locality be changed to allow operations of banks, restaurants or other commercial establishments? CMDA and Chennai Corporation are far from transparent on the rules, while residents watch haplessly, often entirely unaware of plans till the damage has been done.

How ‘smart city’ Chennai can be more resilient to disasters such as 2015 floods

August 24, 2019 Varun Sukumar

Technology in many ways forms the base for a smart city. With the 2015 floods exposing the city’s inability to deal with heavy rains and flooding, the smart city mission should address the gaps and build resilience through use of digital infrastructure.

On the fast track: Will the proposed Bus Rapid Transit System help Chennai?

August 16, 2019 Aruna Natarajan

The proposed BRTS corridors will cover seven key sections of the city including GST Road, OMR, Koyambedu, Thoraipakkam and Chromepet, running along a stretch of 120 km. But how will it really impact commuters in the city?

Golden hour, CPR and more: Life-saving lessons we should all know

August 9, 2019 Mahesh V

Chennai NGO Thozan, in collaboration with 108 ambulance services, conducted an awareness campaign in 73 city parks recently, with an aim to spread awareness on road safety among citizens. Here are some of the most important takeaways.

When the new business in your neighbourhood spoils your peace

August 8, 2019 Laasya Shekhar

Zoning laws, that classify lands within a municipality as residential, commercial, mixed and more, are rarely followed in Chennai and many residents continue to suffer as commercial establishments mushroom in their once-quiet neighbourhood. It’s perhaps time for citizens to wake up and raise their voices.

Chennai Corporation’s five steps that have reduced waste in landfills by 18000 MT/month

July 26, 2019 Laasya Shekhar

Five-month data sourced from the Chennai Corporation shows a slow, yet steady, reduction in garbage going to the landfills from across the city. How did the civic body make it possible?

Rivers remember, but why don’t we?

July 19, 2019 Himanshu Upadhyaya

‘Rivers Remember: #ChennaiRains and the Shocking Truth of a Manmade Flood’ by Krupa Ge is a stark pointer towards consequences of ignoring and abusing the rivers and wetlands in our cities, and also the breakdown of the administrative machinery in times of disaster.

How exactly will water from the Jolarpettai train reach your taps?

July 15, 2019 Laasya Shekhar

The water train from Jolarpettai has brought hope to water-starved Chennai. How much water will it bring? From where? How much money will this entire exercise involve? And will water transported in wagons be safe for consumption? Here’s all you wanted to know about this train.

When families live on three pots of water a day: Lessons from Chennai slums

July 11, 2019 Laasya Shekhar

A ground report and photos from the slums and economically backward areas of the city: How are people here dealing with the water shortage and sharing the meagre supplies?

Deficient rains in Chennai are linked to climate change: MSSRF scientist

July 3, 2019 Laasya Shekhar

If the inordinately long dry spells in the city are indeed an effect of climate change, what are the larger implications for the coastal areas in the city? Dr V Selvam, former Executive Director of M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, shares his insights.

Breaking taboos: Glimpses from the 11th Chennai Pride March

July 1, 2019 Mahesh V

June 30th marked the end of Pride Month, and the city celebrated it with the 11th Chennai Pride March. A citizen journalist captures moments of pride and solidarity that raise hopes of greater sensitivity and inclusion in the future.

Chennai’s Small Bus service: Lost smiles over the last mile

June 28, 2019 G Ananthakrishnan

The MTC’s small bus service could have provided the much needed last mile connectivity for rail, metro and bus interchanges and yet it proved to be a failure, with the authorities withdrawing them from quite a few routes. Why?