Good morning, Chennai!
☀️ Today’s weather: High: 34 ℃ | Low: 25 ℃ | A hot and sunny day ahead.
🧐 Did you know? Royapuram in North Chennai was the DMK’s headquarters in its initial years. It was later replaced by Anbagam in Teynampet.
📚 Book lovers gather
The monthly Kaffee-Klatsch is for all book lovers to meet, network, and discuss books.
What’s it about? The Kaffee-Klatsch at the library of the Goethe-Institut helps promote reading and raise awareness about Indian and German literature. The concept was conceptualised this year to bring book lovers together.
- Each month has a theme. January was the “Month of Remembrance”, where Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl was discussed. February was the “Month of Linguaphiles and Aesthetes”, where attendees discussed Michael Ende’s The Never-ending Story.
- March will celebrate women characters from books to commemorate Women’s History Month. Among the notable characters is Maria Moosbrugger from Die Baggage.
Importance of literature: Literature offers a space to interpret stories and characters. The monthly events, especially for March’s Women’s History Month, become important to discuss women’s characters that are empowering and inspiring.
🗳️ Model code of conduct implemented
Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Chennai Corporation has enforced the model code of conduct.
What’s it about? As the code of conduct comes into effect ahead of the elections, the Chennai Corporation announced it removed 8,000 political signs across the city. District election officer J Radhakrishnan also met with representatives of recognised political parties at the Ripon Building.
- While briefing them, the Corporation announced it had removed over 3,100 wall paintings, nearly 3,000 posters, 149 banners, and 158 flags.
- He also informed parties that prior permission is necessary for roadshows and that a separate bank account should be maintained for election expenses.
Keeping vigilance: The Corporation has appointed three returning officers for each parliamentary constituency and 16 additional ones for the 16 Assembly constituencies within the corporation limits. The seized money will be released if proper documents are provided.
🚇 Shop and hop onto the metro
When phase 2 of the metro begins operations, commercial spaces will be built alongside stations.
What’s it about? The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) will construct commercial spaces with retail outlets and dining options above and near the entry/exit points of 30 underground and elevated stations. The goal is to help the metro generate non-ticketing revenue.
- The spaces will also be at interchange stations like Alandur. The stations will have over 7.5 lakh square feet of commercial space. The stations include Chetpet, Sterling Road, Nungambakkam, Adyar, and stations in Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR).
- At the Thirumangalam station, the plan is to build a commercial building where trains will stop on the third floor. Officials will engage a consultant for feasibility reports to develop these properties.
Challenges: Due to restrictions on setback areas, commercial spaces above entry points are possible only if there’s a lot of space. Parking is another issue to consider so big shopping spaces won’t be possible.
🍽️ Amma Canteens in ruin
The popular Amma Canteens meant to provide subsidised and nutritious food has been falling apart.
What’s its history? The Amma Canteens, or Amma Unavagam, was introduced by the AIADMK in 2013 to provide food at reasonable rates to the masses, especially those from economically weaker sections. The scheme has faced financial and staffing challenges, and many now have crumbling infrastructure.
- In many of the canteens, the women workers are forced to work in kitchens with broken and rusted utensils, leaky roofs, and infested with insects and rats. The food isn’t up to standard, and customers have complained of poor quality.
- Despite visits by Corporation officials and promises to upgrade, nothing has been done at several outlets. In some places, the staff have resorted to spending money to buy new equipment.
What’s being done? The city health officer of the Chennai Corporation, Dr M Jagadeesan, said out of all the Amma Canteens, only 5 were relocated temporarily. They’ll be open to the public once the renovation work is complete.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Do you wear any footwear at home?
- I do wear footwear at home.
- I don’t wear footwear at home.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What’s the preferred streaming/OTT service you use?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Villivakkam and Ambattur residents will see new and improved rail and road infrastructure development.
- The Food Safety Department has sent 40 samples of food items from city outlets for quality checks.
- Near-normal temperatures have been forecast by the IMD for Chennai till the first week of April.
- The Integrated Coach Factory will manufacture about 3,000 coaches, including over 600 for Vande Bharat.
- Madras University staff wore black badges to work as the institution hasn’t found a solution to its financial crisis.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I like watching horror movies: 83.3% 🏆
- I don’t like watching horror movies: 16.7%
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What’s your favourite fashion accessory?
Suchi: “My handbag”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!