Good morning, Chennai!
🌤️ Today’s weather: High: 31 ℃ | Low: 20 ℃ | A foggy morning and sunny for the day.
🧐 Did you know? Mahabalipuram is considered the surfing capital of India. Surfers from abroad came here over a decade ago. It now has surf shops and local professionals who compete in International Surfing Association (ISA) contests.
💡 Light-based art for Pongal
Talented India and Myntra teamed up for a unique light art showcase for the Pongal season.
What’s it about? Talented India created the “Palich Palich Pongal”. It’s a first-of-its-kind artwork using small lights. It’s an underrated art form that’s traditionally associated with festivals.
- The installations were designed and built from scratch by native artisans from Tamil Nadu. One piece takes about 20 days to complete.
- The installations, made up of thousands of small light pieces in unique designs, were placed at Rohini Theatre, Koyambedu, Woods Road, and T Nagar.
For the festive season: For Myntra, it was a way to break through the Pongal festive frenzy with regional advertising. It was their ode to the region’s unique fashion.
🥸 Dressing up for Comic Con
Enthusiasts for this year’s Chennai Comic Con are planning their cosplay outfits.
What’s it about? Cosplay artists Suriya Banu and Medha Srivastava gathered for a cosplay workshop a month before Chennai Comic Con. Among the inspirations they talked about were books, games, movies, and comics.
- Medha became the first female artiste from India to win an international award in cosplay in Shanghai. The cosplay community has grown over the years thanks to the increasing popularity of anime and gaming.
- From online YouTube video tutorials and other resources, cosplay enthusiasts can learn how to make new outfits. They can also learn how to repurpose existing clothes.
Advice for beginners? Start small and make use of pre-existing resources. Materials can be bought for a reasonable price and from places like Sarvana Stores or at shops in Parry’s Corner.
🛺 App to book auto rides
A new mobile app has been launched for commuters to book autorickshaw rides.
What’s it about? The Tamil Nadu Meter Auto app is designed for people to book autorickshaw rides that don’t have fluctuating rates prevalent in cab aggregators like Ola and Uber. The app was launched in Chennai after trial runs in Coimbatore, Trichy, and Salem.
- For the first 1.8 km, the base fare is ₹49. For every additional km, it’s ₹16. There’s also a waiting charge of ₹1 per minute. An average 5 km journey will cost ₹110, and the company running the app will take ₹9 as GST and service charge.
- The idea was first proposed in 2019 to have a tech model and not exploit drivers. Currently, over 4,000 drivers have registered, but only 10% have taken trips routinely.
Work in progress: The company currently spends ₹70,000 to run the server, use Google Maps, and provide booking options. Auto drivers, the founding members and the firm that designed the app are keeping it running.
🛣️ Two-way traffic on Pallavaram flyover
The Pallavaram flyover towards the airport will now be open to two-way traffic.
What’s the story so far? When the 1.5-km-long flyover was opened in 2020, only one-way traffic was permitted. The flyover connects the Chennai airport with Tambaram and the 200 Feet Radial Road. Now, the flyover has been opened to two-way traffic.
- Bollards have been installed in the middle to allow vehicles to ply in both directions. The changes are under trial during peak hours and then extended throughout the day if it works out.
- Many residents said the flyover is wide enough to support light motor vehicles on both sides. Other narrow two-way flyovers in Adyar and T Nagar allow two-way traffic.
Just transferring congestion? Even with two-way traffic on the Pallavarram flyover, traffic congestion will likely shift to another location on the GST Road. The solution is to widen the portion underneath the flyover. The state highways department has already spent ₹15.7 crore to acquire a piece of land underneath the flyover.
✨ Things to do…
Here are some fun and interesting things to do in the city over the weekend!
- Comic Sharul Channa comes to Chennai for her Just Joking tour this Saturday.
- 688545 + 12 Lakh is an immersive Tamil theatrical experience happening this Sunday.
- Catch artists and workshops at the 2024 Ikebana exhibition this weekend.
- For cinema lovers, there’s a screening of Pretty Woman at the SCC Open Air Cinema this Saturday.
- Artists from all genres gather for a live open mic called Music and Mayhem this Sunday.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll Results:
- I still use cash for transactions: 26.7%
- I use digital payments for transactions: 73.3% 🏆
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What’s the first movie you remember watching in the theatre?
Suchi: “Sound of music”
Chitra: “Thillana Mohanambal”
Abhishek: “Iravuku Ayiram Kangal”
That’s it for today. Have a great weekend!