Good morning, Chennai!
🌤️ Today’s weather: High: 32 ℃ | Low: 21 ℃ | Partly cloudy skies for today.
🧐 Did you know? The first theatre in the city was the Major Warwick Electric Theatre. It was opened in 1910 on Mount Road.
🙏 Helping hands
Chennai-based Nourishment for Needy has helped improve the lives of thousands.
Who are they? The group was formed during the pandemic to help provide food, shelter, and medical care. Led by founder Hakim Peer and 100 volunteers, they’ve raised about ₹2 crore and helped over 8,000 people.
- Hakim began small with his own money and then moved to crowdfunding. The biggest beneficiary is the Ennore Kumaran Special School. The NGO provides food for all its students daily.
- The group also appoints teachers, caretakers, and physiotherapists for the school. They’re planning to buy the school a new van. They’ve also helped 100 homeless people through their “Free Food for All in Vandalur” initiative.
Other activities: The NGO has organised women empowerment programs through tailoring classes and providing free sewing machines. They’ve also organised blood donation drives.
🛠️ Analysing the floods & response
A workshop of government officials discussed the ways to better manage disasters.
What’s it about? The Learnings from the Twin Natural Calamities of December 2023 and the Way Forward workshop focussed on the recent floods due to Cyclone Michaung. Data from the Revenue and Disaster Management department showed Chennai held around 67 tmc of stagnant water.
- Data showed that the city received 47 cm of rain in 48 hours. 67 tmc is about two-thirds the storage of the Mettur Dam. Lakes like Cholavaram, Redhills, Chembarambakkam, and Poondi have a combined capacity of 11.75 tmc.
- The workshop was also a reminder that the extreme weather events of last year were due to the adverse effects of climate change and their interconnectedness with unpredictable weather patterns.
Takeaways: The state government proposed a decentralised emergency response system to minimise response times. The government will also rebuild critical infrastructure with climate-resilient measures.
🚇 Chennai’s landmarks via metro
Passengers will soon be able to learn about famous landmarks around metro stations.
What’s it about? If you’ve wanted to know about some of Chennai’s famous landmarks while travelling on the metro, you’re in for a surprise. The Chennai metro will soon have LCD dynamic route map displays inside the trains for route information to these landmarks.
- The displays will be in all 52 stations and could replace the current static map display above the train door. The display will have approaching stations, facilities, and routes to nearby landmarks.
- Each car will have four displays and will be the same size as the existing ones. It’ll also be synced with the signalling system. Currently, not all have a dynamic route map.
A better solution: The existing displays, to some, are too small and can only be seen if one’s standing in the middle of the train. Previously, a large LED screen was planned, but a trial didn’t provide satisfactory results.
💺 A new airport plaza
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has proposed a lounge in front of the domestic terminal for passengers to rest before taking their cabs.
What’s it about? Passengers exiting the arrival terminal can relax in a lounge before taking their cabs. Currently, they have to climb or use a ramp to cross the road in front of the terminal to reach the pick-up point.
- The plan is to use the parking space to build escalators and other facilities in front of the terminal for people to reach the new plaza. It’s part of the landscaping planned in front of the domestic and international terminals.
- The plaza will have a lounge, restaurants, and space for people to sit. It’s similar to the Bengaluru airport. The space in front of the terminals is chaotic and will be beautified.
Other plans: The AAI also wants to remodel the pillars that support the walkabouts tube that runs before the terminals. They want to remove the Y-shaped pillars to make the space more aesthetically pleasing.
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🗞️ In other news…
- The Chennai Corporation will hold a public stakeholders’ meeting for the Perungudi eco-park.
- Suburban commuters want the Southern Railway to consider Avadi or Tiruvalur as a terminal.
- Chennai Metro becomes the first metro in the country to be included in the ONDC network.
- Chennai Police Commissioner said major crimes like robbery and murder for gain reduced in 2023.
- Koovathan 1.0 showcased ideas from students, scientists, and residents on restoring the Cooum.
That’s it for today. Have a great day!