Good morning, Chennai!
⛅ Today’s weather: Sunny with some cloud cover.
🧐 Did you know? The first Corporation School was inaugurated in 1926. It was located on a part of reclaimed land on a landfill which was previously the Nungambakkam Lake.
🏙️ Got ideas to improve the city?
As part of Chennai Day celebrations, the Corporation has invited people’s ideas to help reimagine the city.
What’s it about? Chennai Day is around the corner on August 22, and this year’s theme is “Litter-Free Chennai.” The Chennai Corporation has announced contests for school students and the public to mark the occasion.
- Among the festivities are model-making for architects, social media reel contests, and ideas to redesign public spaces, settlement areas and ways to improve greenery across the city.
- For school students, there are drawing contests, storytelling and essay competitions on the theme. Winning entries will be rewarded by the Corporation and displayed on their social media channels.
🚇 Smart cards out, mobility cards in
Chennai Metro may soon phase out prepaid smart cards for common mobility cards.
What’s it about? There are several ways passengers can buy tickets for the Chennai metro – prepaid cards and tokens, via WhatsApp and QR codes. The smartcard option will soon be phased out. Instead, passengers can opt for common mobility cards.
- The National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC) can be used in metro services in other Indian cities and for MTC buses. The NCMC cards were launched this April and can be used like a debit card.
- The NCMC cards are linked to bank accounts. Metro officials said some passengers don’t buy smartcards since they aren’t regular commuters. Hence, their money gets locked in the smart card.
Numbers: So far, 30,000 NCMC cards have been sold, compared to 8 lakh smart cards. Out of this, two lakh are from regular passengers. Currently, the Chennai metro sees an average of 2.5 lakh passengers daily.
✈️ Managing airport passenger flow
New technology at the integrated terminal will help manage the flow of passengers.
What’s it about? Getting through immigration and security at an airport can be either seamless or a hassle. At the new integrated international terminal, a new passenger flow management system will help keep passengers moving, especially during peak hours.
- The technology, already operational in Mumbai and Delhi, is being tested here. It helps officials monitor passengers at the entry gates, check-in counters, and security & immigration areas.
- Installed sensors will alert officials if there’s a long queue or passenger congestion at different points. Once alerted, staff will be deployed to help guide passengers, and more counters will be opened to keep passengers moving.
Other technologies: The new terminal also has other facilities like an automated retrieval system at the baggage check, a self-drop counter for luggage and E-gates for boarding.
🏞️ Restoring waterbodies
Eight waterbodies across the city will get a makeover to help in flood mitigation.
What’s it about? The Chennai Corporation will work to mark bunds, build walking tracks, and improve greenery. Among the waterbodies in question are the Madhavram Eri and Sadayan Kuppam lakes in North Chennai and some smaller ones in South Chennai.
- All the identified water bodies have encroachments and are polluted with sewage and washing activities. The 139-acre Madhavaram Eri Lake will be deepened, and a bund will be laid to help groundwater discharge.
- Restoration of the Sathangadu Lake will increase its capacity by 1 million cubic metres and be deepened by two metres. There’s also a plan for an eco-park at the lake.
The right approach? Activists say restoration should be done scientifically and not just for aesthetic purposes. For example, the proposed eco-park could have low footfall due to pollution. Also, local residents are against it since they want the water to be used only for farming.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Do you have a Chennai metro prepaid smart card?
- I have a Chennai metro prepaid smart card.
- I don’t have a Chennai metro prepaid smart card.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What are some destinations from Chennai that need a Vande Bharat Express service?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- The Chennai Corporation has been instructed to complete the stormwater drain work by September 30.
- Poor weather and infrastructure forced AR Rahman to cancel his Chennai concert.
- Read author Subhashini Dinesh’s piece on her experience taking in Chennai.
- Rajan Eye Care gets new advanced equipment to perform keyhole surgery.
- Silent reading sessions in the city help people disconnect from their gadgets.
That’s it for today. Have a great day!