Good morning, Chennai!
☁️ Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy weather for the day.
🧐 Did you know? Royal Enfield is one of the first automobile companies to enter Chennai in 1955. Its manufacturing base is also in the city.
🏞️ Island Ground’s Urban Square
The Urban Square project will have several amenities, possibly including a race track.
What’s it about? The Urban Square project was recently announced in the State Assembly. It’ll be implemented by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) with several amenities, including a Formula 4 racing track. The nearest one is the Madras International Circuit at Irungattukottai, 35 km from the city.
- The proposed track will be developed by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT). The discussions are only in the initial stages, and government approval is necessary before an official announcement is made.
- The Urban Square will be set up on 30 acres of land for ₹50 crore. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be submitted once the project’s feasibility is finalised.
Other facilities: The Urban Square will also have an amusement park spanning 39,000 square feet, a public park, an open ground, an exhibition centre, and an amphitheatre. The space will also have a seven-floor parking space to accommodate 280 cars.
🏫 Poor infrastructure hampers admissions
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Admissions have reduced at Corporation schools due to inadequate infrastructure and delays in renovations.
What’s happening? The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) runs over 280 schools in the city to help increase literacy rates and prevent students from disadvantaged backgrounds from dropping out. Delays in the construction of classrooms and other renovations have led to parents pulling their kids out of school.
- One example is the Tondiarpet Middle School, with a strength of 670 students. It functions on a shift basis since the main building has yet to be rebuilt. It has been delayed to May 2024, and 130 students dropped out.
- Another example is the Chennai Middle School in Thiruvottiyur, where there’s a shortage of classrooms. Despite reducing the number of admissions, they’ve had to conduct classes in the corridors.
What’s going wrong? Each GCC zone has at least 10 corporation schools. Despite money being allocated for the construction of new buildings, officials are unsure how long it will take to complete. School officials are apprehensive too.
⚙️ Turbine business success
Aerostrovilos Energy is betting big on the turbine business as it continues to raise money.
What’s it about? What’s the potential for low-emission and fuel-agnostic combustion? It could be a game changer for gas turbines. Rohit Grover and Pradeep Thangappan had ambitions to start a company to build gas turbines in India. A few companies in the West had monopolised the idea, but they wanted to localise it.
- The company has so far raised ₹3.9 crore. Their first grant was for ₹1 crore from BPCL in 2018. Over the past six years, they’ve raised ₹40 lakh through government bodies. They’re in the process of raising another $3 million.
- The company is looking to partner with manufacturers for two products – a power-generation gas turbine and a turbine-based retrofit kit for heavy-duty trucks. They’re working with Ashok Leyland to fit their trucks with gas turbines.
History: Grover joined IIT Madras in 2011 as an associate professor and worked with Professor Satya Chakravarthy on thermodynamic engine concepts. Meanwhile, Professor Chakravarthy was setting up the world’s biggest combustion R&D centre at the university. In 2016, Pradeep decided to drop his PhD ambitions and start the company.
🧑🏻 More skin allergy cases
City dermatologists are seeing increased cases of skin allergies and infections.
What’s happening? Doctors are reporting an increasing number of skin allergy and infection cases. While the current surge in skin infection cases isn’t drastic, it remains frequent across all age groups. It becomes worse when people self-medicate or treat it with homemade remedies.
- Seasonal outbreaks of common viruses and environmental factors could be reasons for infections and allergies. Doctors maintain that these are serious and can be treated with the right medication.
- Some patients at government hospitals have blamed the frequent allergies on vaccinations. While some vaccines could have side effects like skin rashes, they also help prevent life-threatening diseases.
What people do wrong: Some people try a combination of creams without a doctor’s supervision. They tend to overuse the creams or ointments recommended for a specified period.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Do you think Chennai has good street food?
- Chennai has good street food.
- Chennai doesn’t have good street food.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What do you think Chennai needs to do to encourage more people to use public transport?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Chitlapakkam Lake amenities have yet to be completed even after four years.
- The mandatory helmet rule has helped reduce the number of two-wheeler accidents in the city.
- Madhuram Narayanan Centre (MNC) for Exceptional Children hosted its annual programme Samyam with kids in costumes, performances, and panel discussions.
- ECR expansion project undergoes some design changes following objections by fishermen.
- Chennai’s waterbodies should be well preserved to help prevent flooding during monsoons.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- Movie theatres charging a premium for food and beverages is justified: 15.4%
- Movie theatres charging a premium for food and beverages is not justified: 84.6% 🏆
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
Where’s the best place to get Chinese food in the city?
Kalaiarasi: “I suggest Chinese wok, Flower drum and Wang’s kitchen.”
Chitra: “Kimling Anna Nagar”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!