Good morning, Chennai!
☁️ Today’s weather: High: 31 ℃ | Low: 26 ℃ | Mostly cloudy for the day.
🧐 Did you know? Presidency College is the oldest college in South India. It’s more than 180 years old.
🚆 Accessibility of railway stations
With the upcoming railway budget, persons with disabilities are hoping for provisions to make stations more accessible.
What’s it about? Persons with disabilities are hoping that the upcoming railway budget will address their long-pending demands to make stations more accessible. Among them is introducing the Braille system and more time to renew concession cards.
- Visually challenged vendors who sell snacks and other items at stations find it difficult to board and deboard trains since they can’t see the steps and need people’s help.
- For long-distance journeys, persons with disabilities are given concession cards. They want the time taken for application and renewal to be reduced.
Infrastructure changes: On the ground, platforms should have tactile floors, regular announcements should be made on the public address system, and proper signage across the station.
👩🏫 Centralising classes 10 & 12 exam evaluations
The Chennai Corporation plans to centralise the evaluation of class 10 and 12 term exams.
What’s it about? To help increase the pass rate in schools, the Chennai Corporation will evaluate the mid-term exams of class 10 and 12 students in a centralised manner. The goal is to better assess their performance across the academic year.
- The system was introduced since there was a concern that teachers were being liberal about evaluating term papers of students in their own schools.
- Assistant education officers will monitor the evaluation, which will take place in higher secondary schools in Nungambakkam from July 22 to August 2.
Concerns outlined: Teachers and headmasters have voiced their concerns about this plan since it could affect their academic schedule. Teachers were already struggling to complete the syllabus within the stipulated time. Deploying more teachers to the evaluation centres will leave some schools without enough teachers.
🏖️ Marina makeover
The 4 km stretch from Santhome Church to Napier Bridge will be developed into a bustling cultural hub.
What’s it about? The Marina Beach promenade is set for a grand makeover with heritage structures, gardens, and better pedestrian access. The ₹10 crore project has been undertaken by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA).
- In the first phase, the CMDA plans to set up glow gardens, a fountain plaza, a sculpture garden, and open public spaces. The stretch has been divided into 4 zones for accessibility issues.
- The CMDA has formed a roadmap to address accessibility issues and inadequate pedestrian infrastructure. The project can serve as a pilot to retrofit other public spaces for universal access.
Keeping alive heritage structures: Urban development experts feel this project can help in the upkeep and preservation of heritage structures like the University of Madras, Presidency College, Santhome Church, and the Vivekanandar Illam.
🅿️ Texco to manage parking
The Chennai Corporation has enlisted Texco members to manage the city’s parking facilities.
What’s it about? The Chennai Corporation has had bad experiences with hired contractors deserting their plans to handle paid parking lots. So, the civic body has turned to the Tamil Nadu Ex-Servicemen Corporation (Texco) to manage its parking facilities. The previous contractor, Toorq Media Services, was let go.
- The Corporation plans to generate revenue directly rather than a contractor giving a royalty from their revenue share. The parking charges will be the same – ₹5 per hour for bikes and ₹20 for cars.
- As Texco will handle parking for the next few months, the Corporation is working with CUMTA to develop an integrated parking policy. The 2023 urban local body rules also granted the Corporation more enforcement authority.
Broader plans: The Corporation plans to divide the city into three zones, each managed by a different contractor. They’ll help map the parking slot locations and come up with a new revenue model.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Have you purchased something based on a social media ad?
- I have made a purchase based on a social media ad.
- I haven’t made a purchase based on a social media ad.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
If you could live in any fictional world for a year, which one would you choose?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Squatters outside Customs House demand the Chennai Corporation provide housing in the neighbourhood.
- Palavanthangal and Nanganallur residents signed a petition to the Chief Minister’s cell about tipplers on the station’s service road.
- The relocation process of 100 families in George Town began by the Chennai Corporation.
- Wooden barricades have been set up at Elliot’s Beach to prevent vendor encroachments.
- The IIBX will soon launch a new vault at the Matadee SEZ for faster bullion delivery for South Indian members.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I enjoy trying new foods: 66.7% 🏆
- I don’t enjoy trying new foods: 33.3%
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
Which is your favourite OTT web series?
Suchi: “Family Man”‘
Shiva: “Rick and Morty”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!