Commute | Citizen Matters, Chennai

Here’s an ideal way to commute in the post-COVID world; will Chennai take the opportunity?

May 28, 2020 Felix John

Cycling would be the best mobility solution for the city now, addressing safety as well as environmental concerns. Bicycle Mayor Felix John outlines the actions necessary to encourage cycling in the city.

Why Chennai Metro needs to pay more attention to use of public space

March 12, 2020 Varun Sukumar

The aim of any transport hub, like a metro station, should be to make the wait time for a passenger entertaining and hassle-free. This means effectively using the available space in multiple ways, some of which can also help boost non-fare revenue.

A year on, Chennai still awaits CUMTA

January 17, 2020 V Sriram

Hurdles in the formation of CUMTA has prolonged the chaos of public commute in the city; a central authority to provide a cohesive vision remains missing.

What can Chennai learn from London and Singapore to improve its public transport?

November 28, 2019 ITDP India

Cities like London and Singapore with sophisticated city-wide transportation systems can provide valuable lessons for Chennai as the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) becomes functional, having received the nod of the Tamil Nadu government earlier this year.

Five reasons why it takes half an hour to travel a kilometre on GST Road

November 26, 2019 Laasya Shekhar

Infrastructure lapse, weak traffic rule implementation and irresponsible citizen behaviour — all have a role to play in creating the traffic nightmare that GST Road presents today. A look at the top reasons and possible solutions

Behavioural change among citizens can be a game-changer: Bicycle Mayor Felix John

November 12, 2019 Laasya Shekhar

Felix John, an avid cyclist who has pedalled long distances, has been appointed the Bicycle Mayor for Chennai by an Amsterdam- based organisation. In this interview, he talks about his responsibilities and how to give a boost to cycling in the city.

Trying out eco-friendly initiatives for public transport

September 24, 2019 Varsha Venugopal

Data from the experiment, such as usage patterns, battery life, charging frequency etc will help the government scale up the use of electric buses across the city

சென்னையில் ஸ்மார்ட் பைக்கை உபயோகிப்பது எப்படி?

September 20, 2019 Aruna Natarajan

For our Tamil readers: A translated version of our article on the details of Chennai’s smart bike fleet, its overall performance so far and locations of the docking stations

Where and how can you ride a ‘smart bike’ in Chennai?

September 14, 2019 Aruna Natarajan

Since its launch in February this year, Chennai’s smart bike fleet has grown to 370 and sees, on average, 252 rides per day across all locations. A look at the details of the system and its overall performance so far

Chennai to see 100 women-driven electric autos soon: Yasmeen Jawahar, CEO, Makkal Auto

September 4, 2019 Laasya Shekhar

Makkal Auto in Chennai has positioned itself as one of the pioneers in the movement towards electric mobility in the city. We spoke to CEO, Yasmeen Jawahar, to know more about their newly launched electric autos and future plans for the same.

Chennai Buzz: City’s first Aadhaar Seva Kendra | Electric bus gets going | ECR cameras to nab traffic rule violators…and more

September 1, 2019 News Desk

On which route will you find Chennai’s first electric bus? What can the Aadhaar Seva Kendra help you with? And what is Chennai Metro’s latest initiative for its commuters? Catch all this and more in this weekly recap of news.

Why MTC ridership in Chennai fell by 20 crores in a year

August 31, 2019 Aruna Natarajan

The drop in ridership for MTC buses — the number of rides taken by bus across all trips — over the last two years has been quite drastic. What is pushing commuters away from buses and what can the MTC do about it?

Corporate volunteers join Road Safety Council to bat for accident-free OMR

August 20, 2019 Aruna Natarajan

The Chennai Road Safety Council is a coming together of various organisations, volunteers from which are helping to raise awareness on road safety and traffic rules at busy junctions on OMR.

To B or not to B: Weighing the BRTS option for OMR

August 19, 2019 Harsha and Prabha Koda

Residents of OMR attended a public consultation for the proposed Bus Rapid Transit System in Chennai but remain apprehensive about the project and its utility for them. Here’s why.

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?

How does MTC hope to improve disability access with its lorries-turned-buses?

August 14, 2019 G Ananthakrishnan

Buses in Chennai provide poor access to persons with disabilities, with very few low-floor vehicles and exclusionary designs, and MTC’s recent promises do not inspire much hope either.

Smart mobility: The three primary challenges before Chennai today

July 31, 2019 Varun Sukumar

Ease of mobility and efficient transportation must be key features in any smart city. As the city sets its own goals under the Chennai Smart City programme, the author identifies the crucial areas that need attention for realisation of those.

Chennai Buzz: Rain update | Dial for water | Smart card only for metro parking…and more

July 29, 2019 News Desk

What does Met data say about rainfall since June? How will Metro water’s new tanker-on-demand scheme work? What does the latest Madras High Court instruction regarding school bus safety say? Catch these and more in this weekly round up of Chennai news.

How safe are you in Chennai Metro everyday?

July 23, 2019 Laasya Shekhar

Ever been on the Metro in the wee hours of the morning or late in the evening? With missing security checks at the entrance and hardly any personnel in view, it becomes clear that the Chennai Metro needs to step up arrangements on the security front.

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?