Good morning, Chennai!
☀️ Today’s weather: Sunny and clear skies for today.
🧐 Did you know? The famous Currimbhoys cutlery shop began on the pavement in the 19th century. At the time, it was run by Karim Bhai. The business is now run by the fifth generation of his family.
🚌 Fixing MTC’s problems
The Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s (MTC) long-standing issues continue to plague the transportation lifeline for many Chennaites.
What’s it about? The MTC runs over 40,000 trips a day with 30 lakh commuters. It’s currently in poor shape, with no new buses in three years, and a sixth of them are supposed to be decommissioned in the next few months since they’re over 15 years old. Its efforts to buy new buses have run into legal issues.
- More than half of the buses in the fleet have operated for over 6 lakh km. An Urban Affairs memo states a metro city should have 60 buses for every one lakh people. So, the MTC should have at least 4,500 but it has only 3,200.
- For many, the experience of riding on a bus is uncomfortable. Safety issues, leaky roofs, and jammed window panes affect the service quality. The MTC told the court that it could buy only a portion of the new buses due to fund shortages.
Who said what? TK Pandian of the passengers’ welfare association said even the sharp edges on seats had caused injuries. Transportation activist R Rengachari said the MTC should find a way to add more buses to its aging fleet. The government’s attempt through a gross cost contract (GCC) has stalled due to opposition from workers’ unions.
🏞️ Revamped Thiru Vi Ka Park
The newly renovated Thiru Vi Ka Park was inaugurated by Chief Minister MK Stalin.
What’s it about? The Shenoy Nagar Park was opened to the public for the first time since it closed in 2011 for Metro rail construction. The 8-acre park was taken over by the Metro and was handed over to the Corporation after a ₹18 crore makeover.
- It now has a walking track, skating rink, a beach volleyball and basketball court, an open gym, and a yoga centre. It has musical fountains, decorative lights, and drinking water and toilet facilities.
- Over 200 trees were cut for the Metro station and left residents unhappy. A while back, 2,400 saplings were planted and have now grown to a certain extent.
Who said what? Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) officials said they’d maintain the park for the next few months and plant more saplings. Resident D Guru noted people in the area had missed the park and were happy to see it reopened. Officials hope the park will help increase passenger numbers at the Metro station.
🩺 Groundbreaking new heart procedure
Kauvery Hospital has developed a new innovative coronary angioplasty procedure.
What’s it about? Kauvery Hospital has successfully done a coronary angioplasty procedure using drug-coated balloons (DCB). It eliminates the side effects of stenting and can be an alternative to stents for coronary angioplasty.
- DCB is a milestone technique. It releases the drug Sirolimus from the balloon surface within a minute of inflation. DCB can replace stent usage in about 25% of angioplasty procedures.
Who said what? Dr. KP Suresh Kumar, the chief cardiologist at the hospital, said the US FDA recently approved this balloon. Prof Antonio Colombo, a pioneer in interventional cardiology, said special drug-coated balloons are emerging as an alternative to stents.
🖌️ Chepauk murals
The walls of Chepauk Stadium are adorned with murals that have caught the attention of fans.
What’s it about? Thanks to artist Varshini Ramakrishnan, Chepauk Stadium has a colourful look that’s caught the attention of fans. Part of the stadium renovation process included Varshini being approached by Rupa Gurunath from Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA). The murals are part of the upcoming museum and stadium tour for the public.
- Inside the gallery are murals of current and former players from Tamil Nadu, including R Ashwin, Venkataraghavan, and Kris Srikanth, with inspirational cricket quotes. Illustrations of other state cricketers will be installed soon.
- On one of the outside walls is a big mural of Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) captain MS Dhoni. It’s a tribute to his achievements filled with vibrant colours. It was handpainted by Akhil from 108 Collective, a part of Varshini’s production team.
Inspirations: The work in other spaces, like the press conference room, is a reflection of the iconic headlines and articles over the years. At the TNCA office lobby, there’s a mural called “street light to floodlight”, showing a fan’s journey to becoming a professional cricketer and the TNCA’s role in providing support.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Have you ever paid a traffic violation fine?
- Yes, I have paid a traffic violation fine.
- No, I haven’t paid a traffic violation fine.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What was your favourite movie-going experience?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- The Chennai Metropoliton Development Authority (CMDA) has integrated its online planning permission software with the Corporation to connect permission and permit links.
- Private dairies, due to the Aavin milk shortage, have increased prices of milk and curd.
- Chennai Traffic Police have collected fines totalling ₹8 lakhs for drunk driving in the past 2 months.
- The Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express will be flagged off on April 8.
- Myanmar Airways International will begin direct non-stop flights from Yangon to Chennai on May 6.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I still buy physical media like CDs, Bluray, DVDs, etc.: 7.7%
- I don’t buy physical media like CDs, Bluray, DVDs, etc.: 92.3% 🏆
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What are some podcasts you listen to?
Vigneshwaran: “On Spotify, I listen to Gopi and Sudhakar’s Ennenna Solranga Parunga.”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!