Good morning, Chennai!
🌧️ Today’s weather: It’s going to be cloudy with scattered thunderstorms.
🧐 Did you know? The St. Mary’s church, on the premises of Fort St. George, is the oldest Anglican Church in India. It was constructed in 1678.
🚌 MTC wants ticket revenue to cover the salary hike
Following a hike in salaries for employees, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) wants ticket sales to cover additional expenses.
Story so far: Expenditure on salaries will increase by ₹10 crores after the 14th wage settlement and the 3% hike in dearness allowance. The MTC is short of funds and wants the money from ticket sales to cover the additional expenses. Official data shows that 55% of the MTC’s earnings are spent on salaries.
- The MTC’s finance department said ₹3.5 crores could be earned through ads on buses and ₹6.5 crores through ticket sales. Earnings decline through cancelled trips and unscheduled leaves of drivers.
- Each depot will have a monthly ticket collection target. Depot managers have been asked to ensure the resources are optimally used to minimise wastage.
The numbers: Last year, the per day patronage of the MTC reduced to 75 lakh from 2 crores in 2018. It has a fleet of more than 3,200 buses. 2,800 of them are used every day, and the rest are spare.
🚆 The Beach-Tambaram line will get more trains
Since the increase in permissible speed, the Chengalpet-Tambaram-Beach route will have more trains.
Story so far: For those travelling by suburban trains on this route, the trains are often overcrowded due to the morning rush. The newly laid line has been used for suburban and express trains since March. It previously had a maximum permissible speed limit of 80 kmph, which has now been increased to 100 kmph.
- Increasing the speed on the line helps the railways operate more trains on the route. This will help reduce congestion in the morning peak hours starting from 6.30 am.
- The number of trains from Chengalpet to Tambaram isn’t adequate to handle the passenger volume. There are already more services from Tambaram to the Beach.
What about the evenings? Pandia Raja from the Zonal Rail Users Consultative Committee (ZRUCC) said services in the evening are fine, but more can be added between 5 and 7 pm. One official said a shortage of rakes could make it difficult for the railways to add services.
🏞️ Penalty for poorly maintained parks
The Corporation has imposed penalties on contractors for not maintaining parks properly.
Story so far: During inspections by the parks department, the Greater Chennai Corporation found that some parks haven’t been properly maintained. ₹13.68 lakhs were collected as penalties between April 1 and September 3 from contractors tasked with maintenance.
- According to the conditions of the tender, contractors should trim grass and de-weed the parks regularly. They should also employ qualified people to maintain them.
- If the situation continues, the Corporation has warned the contractors of termination of their contracts. Residents can complain about the poor maintenance to their zonal offices or the 1913 complaint cell.
The numbers: The Chennai Corporation currently maintains 736 parks across the city. Maintenance of 571 has been handed over to private contractors.
☔ Learning lessons from the Bengaluru floods
Chennai corporation is looking to learn lessons from Bengaluru’s recent rains and flooding.
What’s it about: Bengaluru has borne the brunt of heavy rains resulting in flooded streets. The floods were caused by 13 cm of rainfall. With the northeast monsoon season at least a month away, the Chennai corporation is preparing early. The corporation has estimated the number of motors needed based on the 20cm of rainfall the city got in late 2021.
- The corporation will place the motors in hotspots ahead of the monsoon instead of after. 150 are ready to be deployed, with the remaining brought in by contractors.
- These motors will be used at 600 flood-prone locations in Chennai. They’ll be used in low-level areas and subways. One of its motors can remove up to 11,700 litres of water a minute.
Action plan: Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh said the Singara Chennai project is divided into two phases. They’re aiming to complete phase 1 by October. Among the areas of focus are T Nagar and Vadapalni.
✨ Things to do…
Here are some fun and interesting things to do in the city over the weekend!
- On Saturday, attend Yuvan Shankar Raja’s concert at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium.
- There’s an Electric and Hybrid Vehicle workshop at the IIT Madras Research Park on Saturday.
- Comedian Gurleen Pannu presents “Pannu Yaar”, a comedy show this weekend at Novotel in OMR.
- This Sunday, Kunal Karma presents “Kunal Karma Live” at the Music Academy.
- This weekend, there’s a pet-friendly flea market at Phoenix Market City.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll Results:
- I have been to the Arignar Anna Zoological Park: 50.0% 🏆
- I haven’t been to the Arignar Anna Zoological Park: 50.0% 🏆
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
Who is your favourite cricketer?
Kovid: “Kohli and Dhoni”
That’s it for today. Have a great weekend!