Good morning, Chennai!
🌤️ Today’s weather: High: 31 ℃ | Low: 21 ℃ | A foggy morning with a sunny day ahead.
🧐 Did you know? The Spectator, founded in 1836, was the first English newspaper in Chennai owned by an Indian. It became the city’s first daily newspaper in 1853.
🧶 Attempting a record for a good cause
Mother India’s Crochet Queens (MICQ) will attempt to create a world record of crochet scarves for cancer survivors.
What’s it about? With its previous record-breaking feats, MICQ is going for another Guinness World Record. On February 4, the group will attempt to knit the most number of cotton scarves for cancer survivors.
- Cotton thread will be used to knit the scarves to ensure they’re comfortable to wear. They’ll then be distributed through hospitals caring for cancer patients.
- Four schools are making their entry. These have initiated crochet and involved students in making scarves. About 300 members are expected to participate.
Previous record: MICQ first entered the record books in 2016 by knitting the world’s largest crochet blanket, measuring 3,377 sq m. It was made by 2,000 crochet enthusiasts.
👨🌾 Market at Semmozhi Poonga
The fruits and vegetable market at the Semmozhi Poonga has come as a boon for Chennaiites.
What’s it about? The Namma Chennai Namma Sandhai (Our Chennai Our Market) was set up to help people buy vegetables at reasonable prices. The specially grown produce is sourced directly from farmers from across the state.
- The market operates on Fridays and Saturdays and has many rare, high-quality fruits and vegetables often unavailable in other markets like Koyambedu and Kothavalchavadi. Among them are Pazhu Bitter Gourd from Dindigul and white cantaloupe from Coimbatore.
- The market also sells value-added products like turmeric powder from Erode and coconut flowers from Dharmapuri.
Future plans: Depending on the response, there are plans to sell the vegetables through Swiggy and Zomato.
🚆 New railway station
A new railway station will be built near the Kilambakkam bus terminus.
What’s it about? The civil work for the new station between the Vandalur and Urapakkam stations along the GST Road has begun. The Southern Railway hopes the station will be ready by this August.
- The state government has already transferred ₹20 crore for the new station, with drawings and designs finalised. The station will have three platforms capable of handling 12-car Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) trains.
- The Tambaram station is only a few kilometres from Kilambakkam. Hence, there’s no need for long platforms to accommodate express trains.
Handling buses: The new terminus is designed to handle 1.5 lakh passengers daily. All private omni and state buses headed to the southern and delta regions will soon begin operations from Kilambakkam.
🏢 Anna University’s startup plans
The university has approved a new research park for startups.
What’s it about? Anna University has approved the Anna University Strategic Technology Research and Innovation Park (AUSTRIP) policy to allow faculty to launch startups in areas like bio-medicine, healthcare instrumentation, and infrastructure development.
- The park will be built on the university’s Guindy campus on 1.2 lakh square feet of built-up area. MoUs have already been signed with the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU) and Dr MGR Medical University.
- The university plans to hire faculty with expertise in multidisciplinary areas for its centres of research. The goal is to have 50 startups within five years.
Opportunities for all: For faculty and students, the new research park is an opportunity to work in areas like transport, the environment, waste and disaster management. It could translate research into commercial products.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Have you been to a farmer’s market?
- I have been to a farmer’s market.
- I haven’t been to a farmer’s market.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
If you could only have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Fishermen employed for rescue work during cyclone Michaung haven’t received payment.
- Chennai Book Fair concluded with 12 lakh visitors since it opened and books worth ₹18 crore sold.
- Akshayakalpa Organic announced the inauguration of its newest production facility near Chennai.
- Kamarajar Salai will see traffic diversions due to Republic Day rehearsals.
- TASMAC sales were ₹765 crore during this Pongal season as illicit liquor sales thrived in Chennai.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I would like to have a pet at home: 69.2% 🏆
- I wouldn’t like to have a pet at home: 30.8%
That’s it for today. Have a great day!