Chennai discussions II [Archive] - Page 22

ChennaiIndian

June 14th, 2010, 10:26 PM

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Soil-plays-role-in-tremor-intensity-say-experts/articleshow/6045037.cms

CHENNAI: If you were shaken out of your slumber on Sunday night, and felt the tremors of the earthquake acutely, it is possibly due to the type of soil and the nature of the rocks below your ground.

Although Chennai was scaled up from low risk (zone II) to medium risk (zone III) by the Bureau of Indian Standards nearly 10 years ago, the city is not sitting on a seismic keg, say experts. Structural designs undertaken ten years ago are still good enough to withstand the shocks of an earthquake whose epicentre is far away, they say.

“There is a very minor difference between low and medium categories,” points out V Balaji, an architect. “The closeness of rocks in underlying areas help transfer the seismic shocks more acutely. For instance, in Velachery, the soil could be closer to a bed rock, which is one reason why people here may have felt the effects of the tremors more,” says Balaji.

According to structural engineers, whose job is to ensure that their design offers an effective buffer to earthquakes, risk assessment is a constant process. “The transmission of seismic energy within the strata is affected by the medium – such as soil type and foundation — through which it travels. Hence there are local differences on the extent to which a particular building or site is exposed,” says Sukumar Shanmugam, a structural engineer. According to the Met department, the first earthquake of 7.8 magnitude was reported at 1.06 am on Sunday, off the west coast of Nicobar Islands, and three more aftershocks were recorded within 12 hours.

...

ChennaiIndian

June 14th, 2010, 10:31 PM

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=58632457#post58632457

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation has planned to rename 50 roads, which are now named after foreigners. These roads will soon be renamed after Tamil scholars and other significant contributors to the language.

Speaking at an all-party meeting convened here on Monday, Mayor M. Subramanian said, “The European contributors to Tamil will also be recognised. Ellis Road will not be renamed because the person had translated Thirukkural.” The civic body has made a list of 52 roads. After the council's approval for renaming 50 roads is obtained, the State government will make the final decision, said Mr.Subramanian.

Some of the important roads identified for renaming include Haddows Road, Harrington Road, Sterling Road, Mcnichols Road, Taylors Road, Ormes Road, Greams Road, Montieth Road, Pantheon Road, and Eldams Road.

The list includes Stringer Road, Umpherson Road, New Farrence Road, Stephensons Road, Cooks Road, General Collins Road, Frazer Road, Flowers Road, Millers Road, Balfour Road, Landons Road, Halls Road, Blackers Road, Adams Street, Erran Street, Emi Street, Casa Major Road, Molony Road, Wennells Road, Anderson Road, Moore's Road, Binny Road, Patullos Road, Whites Road, Woods Road, Westcott Road, Murrays Gate Road, New Boag Road, Madley Road, Jones Road, Jeenis Road, Burkit Road, De Silva Road and Leith Castle Road.

Mayor M.Subramanian said the civic body was in the process of seeking the opinion of residents on renaming the roads.

...

ChennaiIndian

June 14th, 2010, 10:36 PM

^^ As someone who grew up in Chennai, I still prefer Mount Road over Anna Salai...Nungambakkam High Road and not Mahatma Gandhi Salai. :)

satishanu

June 14th, 2010, 10:41 PM

This mayor has been excellent but don't know why he wants the roads to be renamed. Instead spend some money on poor Tamil scholars trying to make both ends meet.

chennaidesi

June 14th, 2010, 10:43 PM

vs007

June 14th, 2010, 10:53 PM

Cultural moral upright cops gone bonkers.

R2IChennai

June 15th, 2010, 01:47 AM

This is business wherever there is a potential any group will fly planes, having said that having one major private airlines base at chennai will help to the extend to have connectivity to cities even with little less potentials(say Chennai - Raipur(chattisgarh) route) etc.

Exactly, Spice jet wont change its hub from delhi but we can expect it to have 2nd hub hopefully,
Kingfisher, Indigo airlines and go air ignore chennai today, Chennai probably 6th city in their radar of importance. Jet airways is better, atleast i find they treat Chennai on par with Bangalore.

satishanu

June 15th, 2010, 01:58 AM

Spicejet is gonna change to Kal airlines and 20% open offer will run from August 6 thru August 25th.
Kalanidhi would be having approx. 58% share once 20% open offer is complete.
They are also planning to move the headquarters from Gurgaon to Chennai.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/15/stories/2010061555081900.htm

Arul Murugan

June 15th, 2010, 05:21 AM

I flew once from CBE->MAA and was impressed with the service and the flight. Its Jet looked much better than the Deccan's fan based planes. Shame that they did not manage it well.

I flew 4 months before from Chennai to Madurai, the service was on par with Jet Airways in terms of food, crew. Their seat and leg space were much comfortable than other airlines in India. Hope they come out from their mess now.

sampath1986

June 15th, 2010, 06:22 AM

First re-lay the roads and then think of renaming them.....:bash:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=58632457#post58632457

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation has planned to rename 50 roads, which are now named after foreigners. These roads will soon be renamed after Tamil scholars and other significant contributors to the language.

Speaking at an all-party meeting convened here on Monday, Mayor M. Subramanian said, “The European contributors to Tamil will also be recognised. Ellis Road will not be renamed because the person had translated Thirukkural.” The civic body has made a list of 52 roads. After the council's approval for renaming 50 roads is obtained, the State government will make the final decision, said Mr.Subramanian.

Some of the important roads identified for renaming include Haddows Road, Harrington Road, Sterling Road, Mcnichols Road, Taylors Road, Ormes Road, Greams Road, Montieth Road, Pantheon Road, and Eldams Road.

The list includes Stringer Road, Umpherson Road, New Farrence Road, Stephensons Road, Cooks Road, General Collins Road, Frazer Road, Flowers Road, Millers Road, Balfour Road, Landons Road, Halls Road, Blackers Road, Adams Street, Erran Street, Emi Street, Casa Major Road, Molony Road, Wennells Road, Anderson Road, Moore's Road, Binny Road, Patullos Road, Whites Road, Woods Road, Westcott Road, Murrays Gate Road, New Boag Road, Madley Road, Jones Road, Jeenis Road, Burkit Road, De Silva Road and Leith Castle Road.

Mayor M.Subramanian said the civic body was in the process of seeking the opinion of residents on renaming the roads.

...

ramvaradan

June 15th, 2010, 06:30 AM

Cultural moral upright cops gone bonkers.

Although sounds crazy/waste of taxpayers money at the outset, I welcome it. After all, whats wrong in naming the streets more aligned with the native interests. This is not an instance of political correctness .. I've no idea what the 'Whitecrofts' or 'Balfour' mean to Chennai .. For all we know, those might be the names of pimps of the erstwhile administrators!!

I know the value addition British gave to Chennai .. but its time to let them go, they were also the looters, opportunists for the most part.

Lets go Swadeshi guys ... kick-ass the stylish anglicized norms!!

prakstar

June 15th, 2010, 06:39 AM

barrykul

June 15th, 2010, 07:40 AM

Although sounds crazy/waste of taxpayers money at the outset, I welcome it. After all, whats wrong in naming the streets more aligned with the native interests. This is not an instance of political correctness .. I've no idea what the 'Whitecrofts' or 'Balfour' mean to Chennai .. For all we know, those might be the names of pimps of the erstwhile administrators!!

I know the value addition British gave to Chennai .. but its time to let them go, they were also the looters, opportunists for the most part.

Lets go Swadeshi guys ... kick-ass the stylish anglicized norms!!

Yes, about time we named roads, buildings, other structures the way we want them. Time to give up the looter's names. How long can we cling onto nostalgia. The only ones who give a damn about British names are those who benefited from the Brits and these include the Babucracy of India (who neatly replaced the iron fisted Brits) and Prim & Proper English Educated Elite who are encapsulated in their "sense of political correctness, secular correctness, what will others think about Indians". Yes, rename them appropriately and at the same time re-surface, rebuild, re-engineer, re-architect whatever makes sense for the current times.

akhaura

June 15th, 2010, 08:27 AM

Reply to # 5253

It is actually Uthamar Gandhi Salai.

kannan infratech

June 15th, 2010, 08:48 AM

well I am glad Chennai will have a strong base inthe aviation industry. But I am concerend again why its political powers that own such things. I would have wished Paramount expanded thier operations and brough aviation industry to the city.

Dont you know who financed / finances Paramount Airlines?

Please track the finance all the way to home now.

kannan infratech

June 15th, 2010, 08:50 AM

Shiv Nadar had settled in Delhi from 70's so can't expect him to come back to TN.

Wavelength did not match and Deals were dishonoured.

venkatm

June 15th, 2010, 08:54 AM

A lot of the so-called poets are actually DMK supplicants. Their insignificant works are "nationalized" for sums ranging from 5-25 lakhs. I hope these are not the people after whom roads will be renamed.

kannan infratech

June 15th, 2010, 08:59 AM

Exactly, Spice jet wont change its hub from delhi but we can expect it to have 2nd hub hopefully,
Kingfisher, Indigo airlines and go air ignore chennai today, Chennai probably 6th city in their radar of importance. Jet airways is better, atleast i find they treat Chennai on par with Bangalore.

I feel that the selection of hub is not so simple. In Airlines business, flights have to be utilised very effectively to stay in competition. Apart from repairs and maintenance, routes, early morning flights and their schedules have to be taken into account.

That way, if you operate All India, it is better to have a hub nearer to the centre of the country or at a place which has many flights in early morning to all parts of the country to effectively reduce the dry runs.

Probably one hub for overhauling, major repairs and long parking and another for operation.

I am not an expert in Aviation Business and this is only my thought.

kannan infratech

June 15th, 2010, 09:02 AM

kannan infratech

June 15th, 2010, 09:10 AM

I am afraid that we will have new roads like

Kaniyan Poongunranar Salai

Parithimarkalaignar Salai.

Probably many may remember that we had a comical situation a few years back. The Govt had suddenly a brainwave and no religious sir names or adjectives should be allowed.

As a result We had Dr (Not Maruththuvar) Salai (Dr. Nair Road), Krishnama Salai ( TT Krishnamachari Road off Nungambakkam High Road), Thirumal Salai (Thirumalai Pillai Road).

These politicians sometimes go to the brink.

sridhar_n

June 15th, 2010, 09:18 AM

I too am not an aviation expert. But I wish Spicejet makes Chennai their hub. Recently there was an article wherein head of Chennai Airport had said that they plan to increase the parking stands (post no.1523 in Airport Expansion Thread) and that should help Spicejet to make Chennai their hub. Forget technical stuff, being owned by a Chennaite, it will be more appropriate that Chennai is made the hub. Just as Mallya (Kingfisher) has partronised B'lore, Maran should partronise Chennai.

sridhar_n

June 15th, 2010, 09:30 AM

Probably many may remember that we had a comical situation a few years back. The Govt had suddenly a brainwave and no religious sir names or adjectives should be allowed.

As a result We had Dr (Not Maruththuvar) Salai (Dr. Nair Road), Krishnama Salai ( TT Krishnamachari Road off Nungambakkam High Road), Thirumal Salai (Thirumalai Pillai Road).

These politicians sometimes go to the brink.

Add to that GN (Chetty) salai.

So we will have Kaviarasu Vairamuthu Salai, Kanimozhi Salai etc...??? I hope they also honour Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and name an arterial road (may be Cathedral Road) after him. And I agree with Kannan, i wish they do it logically and use easy pronunceable names.

kannan infratech

June 15th, 2010, 09:31 AM

I too am not an aviation expert. But I wish Spicejet makes Chennai their hub. Recently there was an article head of Chennai Airport had said that they plan to increase the parking stands (post no.1523 in Airport Expansion Thread) and that should help Spicejet to make Chennai their hub. Forget technical stuff, being owned by a Chennaite, it will be more appropriate that Chennai is made the hub. Just as Mallya (Kingfisher) has partronised B'lore, Maran should partronise Chennai.

Business Decisions should not be influenced by Passion and Wishlist unless it is financially feasible and sustainable.

I am not against Chennai being the hub. But for all india operations, it may not be the right location. May be okay for TN and south operations.

indiatraveller

June 15th, 2010, 09:46 AM

Add to that GN (Chetty) salai.

So we will have Kaviarasu Vairamuthu Salai, Kanimozhi Salai etc...??? I hope they also honour Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and name an arterial road (may be Cathedral Road) after him. And I agree with Kannan, i wish they do it logically and use easy pronunceable names.

I don't think the corporation is goin to look at ease of pronounciation while naming roads. I won't be surprised if such names come up on the council's approval to take this forward.

I only wish the council doesn't approve renaming the major roads (Cathedral, Haddows, Eldams, Greams and Whites). There is some level of branding that has already gone into this and they are so well integrated into our daily usage of these names that some ppl even tend to forget they are (may be) named after Britishers.

bharathkasthuri

June 15th, 2010, 09:50 AM

As they say world wide, that future of any country lies with youth.

We need to have a long term plan of forming good institutes (if not international class atleast at national level) thereby foster research and learning among youth.I some how feel that Education is highly ignored when it comes to TN govt.

There is already lot of chaos in terms of deemed institutes, school fees, uniformity of syllabus.

They dont understand that colleges, schools are the engines for the industry (in terms of human wealth, ). What i see in Hyderabad (again not for comparison) lot of importance is given by AP govt for good institutes.

Following are some of them that are coming in Hyd/AP. IIT is already set up in Hyd. Is TN govt doing some thing on this line?

My suggestion is to have a Education Thread to track some of the new developments in this thread (in terms of new institutes, course offerings, R&D work, etc). Any suggestion would be welcome.

1.) Georgia Tech Engineering

2.) SIU (Multi-disciplinary)

3.) IIT Engineering

4.) BITS Engineering

5.) NMIMS Management

6.) XLRI Management

7.) IMT Management

8.) TISS Social Sciences

9.) NIPER Pharma

10.) ISM Mining

11.) NID Design

12.) TIFR Fundamental Research HCU Campus

13.) NIUM Urban Administration

14.) TERI Environmental Research HCU Campus

15.) SBS Management Hyderabad Airport City

16.) CMC-Tirupati Medicine

17.) SPA-Vijaywada Planning & Architecture

18.) Central University-Vizag Multi-Disciplinary

19.) Innovation University-Vizag R & D

20.) Fergusson College-Tirupati Basic sciences

21.) BARC-Vizag Atomic Energy

22.) EFLU Languages

23.) AMU-Hyderabad Multi-disciplinary

Thanks
bharath K

kannan infratech

June 15th, 2010, 09:56 AM

Dear Friends,

I am preparing a presentation on Sriperumbudur Industrial Belt, I would like to know what could be the approx working population in this area. I contacted SIPCOT, they could not give me the data. It will be really helpful if someone could provide access to this information.

If it is for a normal report, pl go through all the announcements of MOUs by the Govt. It is mandatory for the Collector or MD of the company or the Minister / CM to announce that this project will benfit so many people directly and so many indirectly. (the real figure will be way off)

In case it is for a really serious purpose, then better you contact the key industries in each sector
Nokia, Samsung, LG, Dell (Electronics)
St Gobain (Glass)
So many auto majors in Oragadam.
Irungattukkottai SIPCOT has a Leather Ancilliary cluster

IT employment is easier to estimate based on the floor space. It is 100 sft per person for Software, 75 sft for BPO and 40 to 50 sft for Call Centres.

All the best.

ranga

June 15th, 2010, 12:44 PM

Although sounds crazy/waste of taxpayers money at the outset, I welcome it. After all, whats wrong in naming the streets more aligned with the native interests. This is not an instance of political correctness .. I've no idea what the 'Whitecrofts' or 'Balfour' mean to Chennai .. For all we know, those might be the names of pimps of the erstwhile administrators!!

I know the value addition British gave to Chennai .. but its time to let them go, they were also the looters, opportunists for the most part.

Lets go Swadeshi guys ... kick-ass the stylish anglicized norms!!

Englishmen came and conquered us and not come to kiss and cuddle.Like any conquerer they exploited the natives but they were benign rulers who taught our leaders of yore about democracy and self rule.on the other hand the earlier muslim conquerers were ruthless and massacred the locals ,converted people by force, made native rulers to pay heavy tributes as only vassal kings.Destruction of temples and looting of temple jewellery was rampant.TN was not much affected by the earlier muslim marauders and therefore fortunate to have all the old mighty temples intact.The british were no doubt exploiters and looters as this is a trait among the conquerers but what about our own leaders and their exploits for the past 6 decades.The swadeshi guys (VELLA VESHTI CHOKKA. KURTA PYJAMA) are much worst than the foreign rulers.Mighty natives usurped power and looted their own people.

saysenthil

June 15th, 2010, 02:33 PM

[QUOTE] Media baron Kalanidhi Maran today said there would not be any brand change in Spice Jet after its acquisition by KAL Airlines owned by him and his wife.

"No changes on Brand for now", Sun Network Ltd CEO Kalanidhi Maran told television channel ET Now.

Commenting on the management, he said,"I am happy with the existing management and the airline has done well even during recession".

Stating that Spice Jet has a "strong brand recall", Maran said, "the EBITDA of the airline may grow to 25-30 per cent".

On his future plans for the airlines, he said they were looking at expansion of the airlines in southern region. "We are looking at expansion of Spice Jet in South", he said.

He said they would also make the airlines universal. "We are looking at International routes like Dhaka, Colombo", he said.

Earlier in the day, Maran launched an open offer to acquire an additional 20 per cent stake in the no-frill airline for an estimated Rs 479.29 crore.

The move comes two days after Maran, grand nephew of DMK chief M Karunanidhi, agreed to acquire 37.73 per cent stake in Spice Jet in his individual capacity and through his aviation company KAL Airways, at Rs 57.76 a share.

-Agencies

[QUOTE]

URL="http://news.chennaionline.com/chennai/Maran-not-for-brand-change-in-Spice-Jet/75c1d1f4-2b40-443c-95cb-1d275c474307.col"]http://news.chennaionline.com/chennai/Maran-not-for-brand-change-in-Spice-Jet/75c1d1f4-2b40-443c-95cb-1d275c474307.col[/URL]

satchitananda

June 15th, 2010, 03:39 PM

Business Decisions should not be influenced by Passion and Wishlist unless it is financially feasible and sustainable.

I am not against Chennai being the hub. But for all india operations, it may not be the right location. May be okay for TN and south operations.

Agreed. There is a nice interview with Maran. http://www.mydigitalfc.com/companies/air-travel-no-more-luxury-india-918

First of with larger airlines, there are multiple hubs. So the optimism that Chennai can be one of them. If you discount Jet and Air India, there are no other players from Chennai. That vaccum coupled with potential cheap parking bays and a whole herd of factors are fuelling the excitement. Whilst it is true that Maran maybe from Chennai, do not forget he is a shrewd businessman first.

In business, profits first, rest next. All said, Chennai sure has a good profit potential for KAL (Sun Airlines... ;) )

satchitananda

June 15th, 2010, 03:47 PM

There seem to be diverse thoughts for renaming road names. Here is my two cents - It is part of our legacy. Why dont they try renaming St Thomas Mount ? Just like Chera-Chola-Pandya-Pallava legacy, British are part of our legacy. As long as it is not glorifying some barbaric invader like the Huns or some wierdo invader like Ghori or Ghazni who was more into invading and looting, I am fine. I think we should be looking into the lessons from history to build a great future.

Secondly it is ridiculous to chop names of people, doesnt matter what community they are from. Its our legacy and past.

Unfortunately, our politicians spend more time and money in glorifying their own kin, be it dead leaders or live ones, in stead of actually rendering real service.

OrbitZen

June 15th, 2010, 04:23 PM

^^ I'm pretty sure this is going to ruffle some feathers. Lot of people have memories down the lane (literally) and wouldn't want that to be erased or changed. You always want it to be marina and mount road and not 'Adhiyaman Kadarkarai' or 'Malaimugadu saalai'.

They have held high the charm and grandeur of the city for centuries and changing it now would alter our identities. Lets hope they get immense rebuking from the public and drop this idea.

Fusionist

June 15th, 2010, 04:49 PM

about the name change of roads, I welcome it. Shuld have ben done long ago. I hoep they dont nake it after politicans though. Why no tsomething like 1st Pradhana Salai or Kizhakku Pradhana Salai etc ?

I also would wish why the Govt. changes the name of the people. It would be godo to see the govt. publicise as to why the Colonial relics were not healthy contributors.

saysenthil

June 15th, 2010, 04:55 PM

I guess one name has been already fixed....

that is Eldam's road ----> Dr.Kamalhassan road

Got to check that in the future!!!

Raji7373

June 15th, 2010, 06:26 PM

CHENNAI: SilkAir, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, on Tuesday launched their service on Chennai-Singapore air route, their sixth operation in the country.

“The company currently operates in Kochi, Coimbatore, Trivandrum, Hyderabad and Bangalore,” SilkAir (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Chief Executive, Chin Yau Seng told reporters here.

The service would offer direct flights from Chennai to Singapore and onward connections to more than 90 international destinations.

“After the impact of global meltdown the industry is picking up....with the launch of this sector we see ourselves a long-term player in the Indian market”, he said.

He said the Indian aviation industry was picking up after the global meltdown and they were expecting a “strong growth” in the country. Currently about 50,000 tourists from India visit Singapore every month.

The airline has offered a promotional fare of Rs 14,000 (for a roundtrip) between Chennai-Singapore for economy class. For the business class, the price range is between Rs 18,000-Rs 25,000.

Declining to comment on their future plans in India, Seng said they would focus its operations in South India. The company has 11 Airbus A320 and six A319 range of aircraft.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blnus/09151821.htm

R2IChennai

June 15th, 2010, 06:53 PM

Raji7373

June 15th, 2010, 06:59 PM

They had 2nd daily Singapore airlines flight that is being replaced with silk air now

I don't understand what you mean. My Understading: There were 2 singapore airlines flight from Chennai - one in the morning & one in the night. During global meltdown morning flights were cancelled I think that might be replaced by Silk air. Any way it is good. Now there will be 4 daily flights to Singapore from Chennai. (AI, Jet, Silk & SQ)

R2IChennai

June 15th, 2010, 07:08 PM

I don't understand what you mean. My Understading: There were 2 singapore airlines flight from Chennai - one in the morning & one in the night. During global meltdown morning flights were cancelled I think that might be replaced by Silk air. Any way it is good. Now there will be 4 daily flights to Singapore from Chennai. (AI, Jet, Silk & SQ)

Yes that is what I meant, they had 2 services earlier that was reduced to one and now they are adding the 2nd service back . Air India has 2 flights every day you missed Tiger airways which operates a daily and Air India express has 2 daily flights so total 8 daily flights to singapore

Cosmicbliss

June 15th, 2010, 08:21 PM

Hi guys:

I'm probably going to live in Chennai for a year or so and may move in the next month. I also intend to travel extensively in the state by bus. I really really want to learn at least basic conversational Tamil and as I want to travel in the state knowing it would also be helpful if not almost essential in addition to the fact that in my line of work knowing Tamil would indeed be useful. I am very interested in picking up at least basic conversational Tamil for these reasons as well that as I am personally interested in picking up the language. I have had a curiosity/interest for the language and culture for a while. The online resources I have looked at are not very helpful and I have purchased a book but found it to be very unhelpful as it is lacks even basic things like how to respond to "How are you?" in Tamil. Some books I saw äre full of phrases like "What did you write in the examination's last question?" and "My father owns a jewellery store" and so on are that not really relevant per se. I am starting from scratch and can't spend more than a certain amount of time every day learning it as I have a lot of other commitments

What is the best way to pick up at least basic conversational Tamil for a non-Tamilian whos going to live in Chennai? What are your suggestions or ideas? What is the ideal way of going about it?

Thanks in advance.

satishanu

June 15th, 2010, 08:36 PM

^There is a separate thread in Imaginative India made by Arasu for learning Tamil for beginners.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1034325

Arasu

June 15th, 2010, 08:56 PM

chennaidesi

June 16th, 2010, 01:21 AM

http://www.cushmanwakefieldhospitality.com/upload/File/Hospitality%20Report%20-%20The%20Voyage.pdf

SakthivelJ

June 16th, 2010, 09:22 AM

Can any one show me the list of names that has been changed?:)

MadrasBoy

June 17th, 2010, 06:43 AM

Tamizh theriyuma?

LANGUAGE CHALLENGE Having previously studied Greek, Latin, French and Italian, British journalist HUGO WILLIAMS recounts his efforts to learn Tamil in two weeks.

http://www.go-nxg.com/?p=7991

sridhar_n

June 17th, 2010, 07:46 AM

Watched the Theme song for the first time in Kalaignar TV. I liked it a lot. Brings out richness of our language - and interestingly AR has used quite a few forms of music - carnatic, folk, rap, jazz etc in the composition and many singers incl yesteryear greats such as TMS, P Susheela etc have sung it.

btw, after the song, one of the kalaignar TV hostess announced program schedule "nalaiya nigalchi"...evanga thirundamatanga....:ohno:

Raji7373

June 17th, 2010, 09:16 AM

Chennai: It has been a lifeline for thousands of motorists coming from the western suburbs for more than three decades. But over the years, the Kodambakkam bridge has suffered extensive damage — with wide cracks, damaged joints and worn-out support bearings. Taking into account the seriousness of the situation, the Chennai Corporation has decided to conduct repair works at a whopping Rs 4.37 crore.
The proposal to strengthen the bridge was approved by the standing committee (works), which met recently. “Replacing the bearings, providing new expansion joints and strengthening the columns are of top priority. The contractor will be finalised by July so that the work is completed within a year,” says an official source.
The Kodambakkam bridge, which is also the city’s oldest bridge, was opened to traffic in 1965. Official apathy, coupled with the ‘ignorance’ of locals, has done massive damage to the structure. There are scores of grocery stalls and more than 100 vendors selling fruits, vegetables and meat beneath the bridge. The leasees of the corporation have made several modifications to the structure, thus destabilising it. A few have even managed to build houses adjoining the deck slabs of the bridge.
The land and estate department sources claim that they had sent eviction notices to the traders a few months ago. They are now coming up with an action plan to remove the traders from the spot. “If it had been done earlier, the damage would have been less severe and the cost of the repairs would not have been so high,” says a top official. It has been two decades since the corporation renewed the leases of its properties.
For motorists, the Kodambakkam bridge is more than a lifeline. The real estate boom off Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, in areas like Vadapalani, Virugambakkam, Valasarawakkam, Saligramam, Porur and Kundrathur has resulted in severe traffic congestion. “There is nothing called peak hour traffic on the Kodambakkam bridge. At any given point of time, we can see more than 100 vehicles on it,” says K Manikandan, a call-centre employee.
Even the stairs and its concrete railings are in a state of disrepair and senior citizens and school children find it difficult to use, say locals. Proposals to improve and repair the vehicular subway near the Reserve Bank of India (Rs 97.75 lakh), Vydianathan bridge in Tondiarpet (Rs 79.38 lakh) and Stanley viaduct on Pallavan Salai (Rs 79.38 lakh) have also been cleared by the committee. The elected council is expected to approve the programme in its monthly meet on June 22.

Times of India (http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/TOINEW/navigator.asp?Daily=TOICH&showST=true&login=default&pub=TOI)

chennaivaasi123

June 17th, 2010, 02:30 PM

Prior to that, certain basic amenities be given a thought of,
as
1) Proper topping,
2) uniform width of carriage way,
3) precise pavements,
4) well built & well maintained public toilets at strategic locations,
5) effective storm drains,
6) sufficient lighting;

pls add whatever i missed out.

ChennaiIndian

June 17th, 2010, 03:33 PM

vijayvmail

June 17th, 2010, 04:20 PM

How come Kodambakkam bridge which was built in just 1965 is the oldest in the city when bridges like the Napier bridge were opened in the 19th century by Britishers? :bash::bash:

They simply don't get the facts right leading to we starting a comparison as to why Chennai got a bridge much later than B'lore or Cheranpunji (soon, I am expecting a comparison with this too). :lol::lol:

I think Kodambakkam bridge is the first flyover or rail over bridge. Napier bridge is a river bridge

ChennaiIndian

June 17th, 2010, 05:21 PM

^^ The Perambur Loco Works bridge (over railway lines) is over a century old. So, Kodambakkam bridge can't be the first in anything. :bash:

satchitananda

June 17th, 2010, 05:35 PM

^^ The Perambur Loco Works bridge (over railway lines) is over a century old. So, Kodambakkam bridge can't be the first in anything. :bash:

It is the first in Kodambakkam.. hehe..:nuts:

amarprince

June 17th, 2010, 07:53 PM

I don't understand what you mean. My Understading: There were 2 singapore airlines flight from Chennai - one in the morning & one in the night. During global meltdown morning flights were cancelled I think that might be replaced by Silk air. Any way it is good. Now there will be 4 daily flights to Singapore from Chennai. (AI, Jet, Silk & SQ)

AI daily 2 services

IX daily 2 services

SQ daily 1 service

9W daily 1 service

TR daily 1.57 service or weekly 11 services (future it comes daily 2)

MI daily 1 service, (new flight) also its want give daily 2 services so the reason its gives this service in 2 different times with 2 IATA code numbers....

ferrari_fan

June 18th, 2010, 02:02 PM

^^ Is MAA-SIN a better served route than, say, MAA-BLR? 9 services a day is huge frequency.. I imagine MAA-KUL would be similar, right?

ChennaiIndian

June 18th, 2010, 03:38 PM

^^ With the launch of the new airport in BLR, the time it takes to go there and board the flight and fly to CHN is just about the same as a ride on the Shatabdi. That is why many air passengers shifted to rail and this trend continues till this day.

I read the above in some newspaper a long time ago.

amarprince

June 18th, 2010, 03:42 PM

^^ Is MAA-SIN a better served route than, say, MAA-BLR? 9 services a day is huge frequency.. I imagine MAA-KUL would be similar, right?

i guess MAA-BLR 15 flights per day without Paramount Airways...

IT daily 7 services

9W daily 6 services

IC daily 1 service

6E daily 1 service

but except IC and 6E all flights are ATR.

And MAA-KUL

MH daily 1 service

9W daily 1 service

IX daily 1 service

AK daily 1 service

and IC had daily 1 service ( now weekly 4 service only and also it is going to call off this route on June 20th.. but i'm not not sure....

satchitananda

June 18th, 2010, 05:27 PM

Customised 1300 CC Maruti Esteem Suzuki engines mounted on bodywork made by LG Sports would make its debut in Indian circuit tomorrow in the 13th edition of the JK Tyre National Racing Championship at the MMST?s International track in suburban Irunkattukottai.

Formula Rolon Suzuki 1300 CC event is a shift from the Formula Rolon Chevrolet 1600 CC which was part of the championship until last year.

Compared to Chevrolet, the new Formula Suzuki car is shorter by about 17 centimeters and lighter in weight by about 50 kgs. The downforce in the car has been reduced by making some of the parts smaller. The customised engine gives up to 140 hp thrust.

Four teams -- Meco Racing, Rams Racing, Prime Racing and Sharan Racing ? have confirmation participation and in all 15 drivers would vie for honours in this class.

Source: http://www.ptinews.com/news/725890_JK-Tyre-National-Racing-in-Chennai-tomorrow- (http://www.ptinews.com/news/725890_JK-Tyre-National-Racing-in-Chennai-tomorrow-)

R2IChennai

June 18th, 2010, 06:52 PM

i guess MAA-BLR 15 flights per day without Paramount Airways...

IT daily 7 services

9W daily 6 services

IC daily 1 service

6E daily 1 service

but except IC and 6E all flights are ATR.

And MAA-KUL

MH daily 1 service

9W daily 1 service

IX daily 1 service

AK daily 1 service

and IC had daily 1 service ( now weekly 4 service only and also it is going to call off this route on June 20th.. but i'm not not sure....

Lot of airlines pulled off of MAA-BLR during recession, Now I guess MAA-BOM will have more flights than MAA-BLR

amarprince

June 19th, 2010, 07:31 AM

Lot of airlines pulled off of MAA-BLR during recession, Now I guess MAA-BOM will have more flights than MAA-BLR

yes. of course MAA-BOM (18 per day) more flight than MAA-BLR (15 per day)

MAA-BLR was more than 23 flights perday in 2006 and 2007.. now only 15..

greatshankar

June 19th, 2010, 05:49 PM

^^ I think Some frequent travelers started using train after shifting bangalore airport to devanahalli.

karthikarthik

June 20th, 2010, 05:02 PM

Traffic to Bangalore decreased from Chennai because of the shift to devanahalli. Many companies(my org also) is not encouraging flights to Bangalore.

Time taken by Air(approx):

30 min to Chennai Airport
1 hr before the departure time.
45 min flight time.
30 min to checkout
2 hrs in City traffic altogether 4:30 min

Take shatabdi its only 5 hrs.

think_different

June 20th, 2010, 07:25 PM

UMIUHVBvvlw

Leo_r

June 21st, 2010, 10:00 AM

Common biomedical waste facility set for upgrade..

Somewhere I referred to the above earlier.

The common biomedical waste facility functioning at Thenmelpakkam in Kancheepuram district is all set for an upgrade, with the Global Environment Fund, an international funding body under the United Nations Development Programme, agreeing to provide $2,58,000 for the project.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/20/stories/2010062061620200.htm

kannan infratech

June 21st, 2010, 10:06 AM

Common biomedical waste facility set for upgrade..

Somewhere I referred to the above earlier.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/20/stories/2010062061620200.htm

Good News

Leo_r

June 21st, 2010, 10:11 AM

sridhar_n

June 21st, 2010, 10:45 AM

Corporation of Chennai's initiative in clearing Beggars from the street faces problem. Number of NGOs have jumped into the centre to scuttle the scheme. They have moved Delhi based News channels to highlight their view points. They allege that Corporation is recklessly removing anyone found sleeping in the pavement at night.

The National Human Rights Commission recently issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, calling for a report on the initiative within four weeks.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/21/stories/2010062159970200.htm

At times I feel that the Human Rights people/NGOs are jobless and senseless. Why can't they work to rehabilitate these beggars / people sleeping on the pavements if they really care abt them? Why are they opposing the govt/corpn which wants to relocate /rehabilitate them?

Next, they will start protesting against the death sentence awarded to Kasab.

satchitananda

June 21st, 2010, 02:41 PM

At times I feel that the Human Rights people/NGOs are jobless and senseless. Why can't they work to rehabilitate these beggars / people sleeping on the pavements if they really care abt them? Why are they opposing the govt/corpn which wants to relocate /rehabilitate them?

Next, they will start protesting against the death sentence awarded to Kasab.

While I agree with you Sridhar, I will not rush to put them all in one box.

I have seen Begging getting so organized and almost profession like with well defined routes and their higher ups directing the beggars, down the food chain to go and meet quotas. Well I am talking of Chennai only.

Begging used to be sense of overcoming body consciousness in the distant past, but now its not just a menace, but really hurts the economy by keeping off the tourist dollars and breeding more societal ills. People seemed to have accepted this as a way of life, which is sad.

I still recall one beggar, years ago flung a 50 paise back at the donor and hurled abuses for not even giving Re 1 or more. The guy was totally embarassed as I watched it pathetically sitting next to him. I am not sure what is the prevailing rate.

There are genuinely handicapped folks who sure need some help, but we need to spread the awareness that being handicap is not a privilege or permission to go and beg.

I think, we need to treat the beggars humanely but sure need to make it clear that begging is not an option, more like an iron first with velvet glove.

SVG

June 21st, 2010, 08:05 PM

^^

"Iron fist with velvet glove" - could not put it across more nicely... :applause: :applause:

Good approach.

Raji7373

June 22nd, 2010, 02:05 PM

ChennaiIndian

June 22nd, 2010, 04:35 PM

http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/22/stories/2010062250880200.htm

CHENNAI: For film buffs who keep a tab on the list of international film festivals in the city, there is more to weekends than flipping television channels.

Catching up with classics at film screenings held regularly at foreign cultural centres and libraries have become a part of the weekend routine for many of them.

With screenings of films becoming afrequent affair , the best-rated foreign classics are no longer out of bounds for those who have a penchant for them.

If film festivals bring in some of the popular new releases, the periodical screenings at such places feature a perfect blend of not-so-popular classics and much-celebrated movies.

What started as an occasional activity in many libraries and cultural centres has now become a routine schedule. Following the growing response from film aficionados, a few foreign cultural centres in the city have increased the frequency of open-to-all film screenings while others are scouting for bigger auditoriums to accommodate its eager audience.

Alliance Francaise, for instance, is in the process of upgrading its auditoriuminto a 250-seater. “We have been doing thematic screenings every month. The movies will be spread out for a week and we have not restricted ourselves to only French films,” says Tara Rhine, the cultural coordinator of Alliance Francaise.

At recent screenings at the Alliance, films were grouped under the themes ‘French Connection,' ‘Documentaries' and ‘Environment'. In August, it would be a Bollywood bonanza marking the Indian Independence day. To encourage the art of film appreciation among students, Alliance will start a Movie Club in September, which will have movie screenings every Friday. “Film enthusiasts will talk about the movies screened to foster greater student participation ,” says Ms.Rhine.

...

ChennaiIndian

June 22nd, 2010, 04:35 PM

http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/22/stories/2010062252520400.htm

National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Zone Management launched

CHENNAI: The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Zone Management (NCSCZM) was launched on Monday at Anna University-Chennai, with the support of a consortium of 11 institutions, to focus on capacity-building and research in coastal zone management.

Minister of Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh, in a message read out by Additional Secretary J.M. Mauskar, said the Ministry was investing Rs.166 crore to create the consortium. It would have an outreach component to coastal communities and link up with such institutions around the world.

“We should keep expenditure on buildings to the barest minimum. The linkage with coastal communities is especially important because too often in our country research is divorced from field-level conditions and challenges,” he said.

The Ministry was finalising Coastal Regulation Zone notification, 2010, after “an extensive process of public consultations and feedback,” and three integrated coastal zone management projects were also being launched in West Bengal, Orissa and Gujarat at a total cost of Rs.800, Mr. Ramesh said in his message.

Mr. Mauskar said the NCSCZM was being created to provide scientific and technical inputs to government policies on all issues related to coastal zone management.

Eminent scientist M.S. Swaminathan said the problem of climate change, especially in coastal areas, had to be handled proactively. Along with economic sustainability, ecological and social sustainability were also being recognised as important concerns.

Recalling that the centre had grown out of the recommendations of a committee he had chaired nearly five years ago, Mr. Swaminathan said there should be strengthening of research, extension and training capabilities to handle the problems.

...

georgenadar

June 22nd, 2010, 06:16 PM

satchitananda

June 22nd, 2010, 06:24 PM

Hi guys sorry for double posting...I have already posted the following photos in Chennai Images thread...But I wanted to share these images here also...All are attractive and cool view...:cheers:

http://i47.tinypic.com/2q9dkew.jpg
View of Chennai Metropolitan City from St Thomas Mount - Copyrights to Arvind Balaraman

http://i49.tinypic.com/2e2ny88.jpg
View of Chennai Metropolitan City from St Thomas Mount - Copyrights to Arvind Balaraman

http://i46.tinypic.com/2ue1dlc.jpg
View of Chennai Metropolitan City from St Thomas Mount - Copyrights to Arvind Balaraman

George.. Great pics.. The cloudy backdrop seems to have augmented the effect.. :cheers:

Chennai sure has a lot of potential to grow taller... wish there was a nice skyline... (i know the damn weather radar.. stunting vertical growth.. avanga thalaile idi vizha).. couldn't help the sarcastic pun..

chennaidesi

June 22nd, 2010, 07:03 PM

Radar thalaile idi vizha

Arul Murugan

June 22nd, 2010, 07:44 PM

^^

:lol::lol: Athu enna pannichu

darkprinz

June 22nd, 2010, 08:10 PM

Wow for the photos ..:banana:

Venam pa .. radar la idi vizhum nu sonna ... adhe innum keezha engayachum vechitu only 1 floor allowed nu solire poranga ...:nuts::lol:

satchitananda

June 22nd, 2010, 08:13 PM

^^

:lol::lol: Athu enna pannichu

Well.. AFAIK and you can confirm that scrolling back to some of the older Chennai pages.. One of the main reasons why there are no skyscrapers within the city is that this weather radar sitting (believe near the Port Trust area) This radar seems to get affected by taller buildings nearby.. and there you go.. CMDA were also batting for it for a long time.. I guess they have now gotten frustrated and now getting back to this serious limitation recently with approvals of 12+ floors beyond Chennai City boundary..

Simple solution could be to move it to a different location like Tirisulam hilltop or build a giant skyscraper and mount it..

Lots of forummers do feel this painful limitation which is stunting Chennai's vertical growth.. hence radar building mela idi vizha..

bharathkasthuri

June 22nd, 2010, 08:14 PM

i thought increase in FSI in Master plan will attribute to new skyscrapers. Is it not so?

chennaidesi

June 22nd, 2010, 10:02 PM

No. TN has lot of restrictions increase in FSI only will not help they need 200 feet road to build 40 floors and above etc.

Kewl Batty

June 22nd, 2010, 11:06 PM

^^ That is actually good. High rises without wide road = disaster (overcrowding)

Arasu

June 22nd, 2010, 11:26 PM

^^ I see a lot of greenery. I fail to notice it when I see through my own eyes. Looks like, lens have a way with making things look greener than they really are.

kvijayasundaram

June 23rd, 2010, 12:44 AM

No. TN has lot of restrictions increase in FSI only will not help they need 200 feet road to build 40 floors and above etc.

I believe it is 100ft(or 30m) for 40+floors and above as per new master plan(MP).
Also, with the new MP the weather radar clearance is not mandatory for high rises. Not sure if it has been put into practice tho'

Members who know the ground reality are welcome to correct me if I am wrong.

kvijayasundaram

June 23rd, 2010, 12:57 AM

Radar thalaile idi vizha

+1

Dont know what is the real utility of this weather radar in the middle of Chennai, when the predictions go wrong most of the times.:lol:

As if people really give a shit about what they are predicting.

Might as well move this piece of (s)crap to Sriharikotta or Pondicherry.

http://www.indianrealtynews.com/real-estate-india/chennai-curbs-high-rises-due-to-radar-restriction.html

Responding to Tripathy’s observations, the IMD has now come forward to shift the radar. Gopal told TOI, “We have no problem in shifting the radar. We have sought the state government’s help to relocate the radar.” The next step will be to identify a suitable location.

The government has in principle agreed to the IMD request. Tripathy told TOI, “Tamil Nadu government will help IMD relocate the radar at the earliest. Radars are a must for the state. When the IMD installed radars first about 20 years ago, the Port Trust building was the tallest in the region. Since we have better options now, we are hopeful of finding a solution to this issue soon. Once it is shifted, permission for construction of tall buildings will be given in accordance with other development rules that govern the city.”

ChennaiIndian

June 23rd, 2010, 04:49 AM

^^ This news item is dated May 6 2008. I posted a news some 6 months ago about the radar shifting thing. It seems they are not in a hurry to shift it. :bash::bash::bash:

darkprinz

June 23rd, 2010, 07:25 AM

One skyscraper atleast some 60-70 floors will become a stimuli for others to start .. Anyone in here working in construction companies ... Please discuss this in ur company .. Atleast ask ur company to urge TN govt to shift that stupid antenna :lol:

vijay_t

June 23rd, 2010, 10:36 AM

Perungudi waste plant works from June 30 (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Perungudi-waste-plant-works-from-June-30/articleshow/6080628.cms)

CHENNAI: Mayor M Subramanian on Tuesday announced that civil works for the integrated solid waste management facility at the corporation’s dumping yard in Perungudi will be launched on June 30.

Speaking during the question hour of the council meet, he said the plant will segregate waste, make compost from bio-degradable waste, produce refuse-derived fuel up to bale formation from combustible waste which can be used in cement factories and manufacture eco-bricks using construction debris. The project had got the approval of the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority last month. Hydroair Decktonics Limited, a Navi Mumbai-based company, has offered a royalty of Rs 15 per tonne of garbage to the local body. “The project will cut greenhouse gas emission from the yard,” Subramanian said. As per the agreement, the corporation will earn Rs 76.65 lakh annually from the contractor. There will also be an addition of 5% hike per tonne towards the royalty.

The Perungudi project is based on a design-build-operate- maintain- transfer basis. The contract firm will have to set up its facilities on 30 acres of the dump site and handle 1,400 metric tonnes of unsegregated garbage reaching the yard everyday. At the end of 20 years, the agency will transfer the yard to the local body.

vijay_t

June 23rd, 2010, 10:39 AM

Corporation offers Rs 5/kg for recyclable waste (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Corporation-offers-Rs-5/kg-for-recyclable-waste/articleshow/6080605.cms)

CHENNAI: Are you staying in any one of the six zones where Chennai Corporation does conservancy operations? Then think twice before dumping recyclable waste into the street bins. Conservancy staff of the corporation will soon knock on your door with a weighing balance to collect recyclable waste. And you get paid Rs 5 per kg for paper, plastic and other recyclable stuff.

In its efforts to put an end to the mounting unsegregated waste reaching the notified dump yards daily, the local body has decided to try out door-to-door collection. “Each house in the corporation zones will get a collection bag from the civic body,” mayor M Subramanian announced in the council on Tuesday. This follows the successful implementation of a similar programme in 16 wards in the corporation zones during April 2009.The programme is aimed at inculcating the habit of segregation of waste at source. A resolution to this effect, adopted by the council, allowed the conservancy staff to sell the commodity in the open market and take home the amount. “Each conservancy staff will be paid an advance of Rs 2,000 and it will be deducted at source in the following months,” Subramanian said. This would prevent tonnes of recyclable waste getting accumulated in the dumping yards and contaminating ground water.

ITC has entered into an agreement with the corporation to collect recyclable waste from Anna Nagar and Shenoy Nagar in Kilpauk zone. The firm has been collecting waste from households for the last six months, paying Rs 2 per kg. “The civic administration was mulling over the plan for some time, as the municipal conservancy staff have been engaged in door-to-door collection of waste in tricycles for more than eight years now,” an official said.

Officials said the collection of recyclable waste would begin in 17 divisions in July and subsequently be extended to other divisions. Divisions 4, 9 and 12 in Tondiarpet zone, 16, 21 and 24 in Basin Bridge, 53, 57 and 59 in Ayanavaram, 71 and 77 in Kilpauk, 98, 108 and 111 in Nungambakkam and 133, 134 and 135 in Saidapet zones will be covered. “We have placed orders for jute bags for collection,” an official said.

vijay_t

June 23rd, 2010, 10:42 AM

New system to keep pollution in state under check (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/New-system-to-keep-pollution-in-state-under-check/articleshow/6077067.cms)

CHENNAI: Now, for the first time in the country, top executives will be informed within seconds of pollutants exceeding standards. In an attempt to prevent a Bhopal-kind of scenario or disasters of lesser magnitude, a Care Air Centre has been set up by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) at its Guindy office.

The Manali industrial area, notified as a critically polluted area last year by the comprehensive environmental pollution index (CEPI), is the first cluster to see the introduction of the new technology. According to officials, most of the 190 red-flag category of large industries in the state will be linked to the Care Air Centre by December.

“Continuous monitoring of ambient air quality is not new, but where the new unit differs is in its ability to turn into an empowerment tool, and take corrective action in the event of pollutants exceeding standard norms,” said TNPCB officials after the formal inauguration of the centre by Planning Commission member K Kasturirangan.

The system works on a double module. Data generated by the analysers of the ambient air and the chimneys, generated every 10 seconds are transferred via a data acquisition system to the centre at the TNPCB office. The gathered data is validated, and if there is a cause for concern, e-mail and SMS alerts are sent to the nodal officials. Top TNPCB officials will also be kept informed.

“In the long run it will evolve into a mitigation plan, since the data generated will give clear evidence as against suppositions on emissions,” added officials. “Air pollution is a huge challenge and the new system will help monitor petroleum, sugar mills and similar industries,” said environment minister TPM Mohideen Khan. Industrial clusters in Ranipet and other centres will be linked to the unit soon, he added.

Pointing to a huge gap between proposals and executions, Kasturirangan pointed out that a year-on-year accumulation of pollution-related problems will have a runway effect. “Modern tools of technology are not being used enough to better address such issues,” he added. “A culture for environmental care among people should also be there,” he added.

Mad 4 Madras

June 23rd, 2010, 11:00 AM

^^ Most welcome news.

satchitananda

June 23rd, 2010, 03:21 PM

seku

June 23rd, 2010, 05:18 PM

^^ agreed..the awareness level in west is high..they even moved ahead from plastic to save paper also...though i started using "go green" mugs without any big intention, but later realized that i save 2 use n throw cups/day frm goin to trash...:cheers: (eod, i have to wash my mug.. thats bad :ohno: )

to some extent WB and few north eastern states should be appreciated for their eco friendly sense.. they use cups made of red soil in most of the road side tea shops... in last tenure even lalu introduced teh same in Railways. not sure hw successful it was...

worth spreading such gud initiatives n awareness...

A sincere request to all forummers - Please avoid using plastic bags be it for groceries or shopping. Please carry your own tote bag to the store. Where ever possible try to recycle, try to reduce and reuse whatever you are using. If you can sort the waste at source, it greatly helps

Do not think I am just one man, what difference can it make.. Every action (inaction) counts. You be the change you want to see in the world, said Mahatma Gandhi.

I know most of you are already doing it.. so its like preaching to a choir, but TOGETHER we can make CHENNAI (INDIA) CLEANER & GREENER. Lets make CHENNAI the MODEL CITY OF INDIA & THE WORLD.

I am sharing this as I see the awareness levels in the West are real high and I practice what I shared.

PlaneMad

June 23rd, 2010, 07:06 PM

^^ I see a lot of greenery. I fail to notice it when I see through my own eyes. Looks like, lens have a way with making things look greener than they really are.

Effect of having low rise buildings. There are so many colonies where the tree cover is higher than the 1-2 story buildings. The trees are so huge that they block the views of the tiny building behind. You get the totally opposite effect once you have more tall buildings.

Personally i dont support skyscrapers unless they are made in such a way that they preserve the population density. But i see majority here like them cause they look cool, oh well :)

R2IChennai

June 23rd, 2010, 09:06 PM

Effect of having low rise buildings. There are so many colonies where the tree cover is higher than the 1-2 story buildings. The trees are so huge that they block the views of the tiny building behind. You get the totally opposite effect once you have more tall buildings.

Personally i dont support skyscrapers unless they are made in such a way that they preserve the population density. But i see majority here like them cause they look cool, oh well :)

I Agree we do not need haphazard high rise every where, I prefer a high rise zones in certain areas for business and residential and more open spaces(parks)
to control the FSI

Arasu

June 23rd, 2010, 10:49 PM

^^ Agree with both your views.

Nungambakkam, Adyar, Mylapore areas used to be very green with trees totally covering the stretch. They have changed now with high rises and rise in traffic.

chennaivaasi123

June 24th, 2010, 10:59 AM

A sincere request to all forummers - Please avoid using plastic bags be it for groceries or shopping. Please carry your own tote bag to the store. Where ever possible try to recycle, try to reduce and reuse whatever you are using. If you can sort the waste at source, it greatly helps

Do not think I am just one man, what difference can it make.. Every action (inaction) counts. You be the change you want to see in the world, said Mahatma Gandhi.

I know most of you are already doing it.. so its like preaching to a choir, but TOGETHER we can make CHENNAI (INDIA) CLEANER & GREENER. Lets make CHENNAI the MODEL CITY OF INDIA & THE WORLD.

I am sharing this as I see the awareness levels in the West are real high and I practice what I shared.

A good effort, but
a word to tell
the govt should put a ban on such plastics
if the source is blocked then people has no choice rather than using manja paii or thuni paii or jute bags;

it is the effort required from the govt-in such cases.
plastics to be made costly for unwanted causes-so that mass cud not afford for the same.
plastics cud be put to someother constructive & valuable purposes.

yashchauhan

June 24th, 2010, 12:06 PM

i don;t understand why any1 who visits chennai call it dirty and filthy...i still don't get it...i ve never been there but it looks f9 to me...any chennaite please explain!!

Mad 4 Madras

June 24th, 2010, 12:32 PM

We are Elephants! We'll put mud on our own head...lol

Nadodi

June 24th, 2010, 12:36 PM

i don;t understand why any1 who visits chennai call it dirty and filthy...i still don't get it...i ve never been there but it looks f9 to me...any chennaite please explain!!

My title answers yashchauhan's querry in 4 words. As a person who has been lived in almost all parts of the counrty, and hence having interacted with a quite a few people, anyone who visits is made to perceive apriori the 'filth' of the city. This perception changes once they stay in Chennai for a bit prolonged period. I don't have any explanation for this perception and preconception - probably it is because of the perceived anti-hindi feelings and the lack of efforts from the part of the chennaites who are supposed to be its brand ambassadors.

dhandapanik

June 24th, 2010, 01:02 PM

Indian Sun

June 24th, 2010, 01:39 PM

satchitananda

June 24th, 2010, 02:17 PM

Chennai is no filthier than the other cities in India. It's probably the humidity that makes one sweat profusely, giving a feeling of being dirty. When you don't feel good, you don't perceive good.

I, for example, have always noticed the dirt and filth in North India, knowing very well its unfair to be biased in that way.

Perception is reality (atleast to us lesser mortals). The traditional gateway to Chennai was Central Station. Guess what was beside it.. our Cooum(am using Cooum to indicate all broken waterways dowgraded to sewer and filth) representative. Next when there is Cricket match what do we see.. Chepauk and the same Buckingham Canal. Besides Cooum and Adayar snake through the city magnifying the effect.

Also being a major metro there are piles of trash in quite a few places. Add to that our guys trying to imitate dogs in public.. if you dont believe me, there are quite a few guys who get the urge as they cross a lamp post. Now the traditional paan with betel leaves or gutkas add flavor to these ideas.

Interestingly add hot humid weather (Hey complain as much, thats what Chennai is and i am happy with it.. or maybe we can plant more trees) make it muggy and sweaty for most folks.. what does the brain associate sweaty stuff.. dirty.

As one other forummer rightly observed there is a political flavor with anti hindi Chennai etched in the minds of larger India.

If we get serious we can fix every one of them, as they are mostly image issues (of course we still gotta clean Cooum)

We are all going to take the responsibility of Chennai's Brand Ambassadors with our words and action.

venkatm

June 24th, 2010, 03:13 PM

satchitananda

June 24th, 2010, 03:24 PM

A good effort, but
a word to tell
the govt should put a ban on such plastics
if the source is blocked then people has no choice rather than using manja paii or thuni paii or jute bags;

it is the effort required from the govt-in such cases.
plastics to be made costly for unwanted causes-so that mass cud not afford for the same.
plastics cud be put to someother constructive & valuable purposes.

Well like the other forummer already pointed out, we can precipitate the change. We always have to start at the individual level for any meaningful and lasting change.

In the West, while I see awareness for a lot of things, I do not see them careful with their Water or Electricity, because its cheap and easily available. (Though reality behind the scenes is different) Of course in India like you wish, Government has taken care of that with Power cuts and water shortages. (Thats more a problem than solution)

Plastics have a strong industry support because of the growing base of consumers. Its usually the plastic bags which is the easiest to control via awareness. Plastic bags are not necessary for development nor proof of civilization - thankfully. They cause numerous environmental harms including it being not easily biodegradable and can sure get into the food chain - fishes for example. Our individual choices are very powerful. We are the architects of our future. (If interested on some scientific perspectie, Google 'Butterfly effect' in Wiki and see how seemingly unrelated actions can be inter related. Its only an interesting read.. not directly related to Plastics)

Lets focus on building a city that is mindful of its resources. Where ever possible, go for environmentally friendly choices be it turning off the faucet when not needed or building a ecofriendly building.

Chennai with its high level of educated open minded public can be one of the most vibrant cities.

vijayvmail

June 24th, 2010, 04:40 PM

Well like the other forummer already pointed out, we can precipitate the change. We always have to start at the individual level for any meaningful and lasting change.

In the West, while I see awareness for a lot of things, I do not see them careful with their Water or Electricity, because its cheap and easily available. (Though reality behind the scenes is different) Of course in India like you wish, Government has taken care of that with Power cuts and water shortages. (Thats more a problem than solution)

Plastics have a strong industry support because of the growing base of consumers. Its usually the plastic bags which is the easiest to control via awareness. Plastic bags are not necessary for development nor proof of civilization - thankfully. They cause numerous environmental harms including it being not easily biodegradable and can sure get into the food chain - fishes for example. Our individual choices are very powerful. We are the architects of our future. (If interested on some scientific perspectie, Google 'Butterfly effect' in Wiki and see how seemingly unrelated actions can be inter related. Its only an interesting read.. not directly related to Plastics)

Lets focus on building a city that is mindful of its resources. Where ever possible, go for environmentally friendly choices be it turning off the faucet when not needed or building a ecofriendly building.

Chennai with its high level of educated open minded public can be one of the most vibrant cities.

A very good request.
I try to take my own bags (at least take plastic bags that we already have) to shops as much as possible.

But somehow I'm not able to convince ppl around me to do so. Even with my family members who are by nature quite clean and do not litter around, it is very difficult to get them to do such things.

A month back all of us in our family had gone to the Marina beach. We had prepared food at home and had taken it with us so that we can sit on the shores and enjoy the food together. We had taken some paper tissues and newspapers to wipe our hands. After eating, I was trying to make them to collect the tissues and keep it with us so that we can throw them in the dust bin at home. But few of our family members were arguing with me to throw them there on the sands itself.

For years, I have been insisting on not throwing plastic wastes on the road sides of the places that we go. All this has made one change to their argument - The plastic bags and such things are non-bodegradeable and hence should not be littered around. But stuff like paper are Bio-degradable and hence can be thrown on the sands of the beach where they will eventually be degraded.

Bio-degradable or not, they are all just garbage. Just as we do not litter our house with garbage, we should not do so in any of the public places.

Our government has taken lot of good steps to beautify our Marina Beach. But I really feel like crying when I see it now. The sands are filled with tissues, ice cream sticks and wrappers, corn cobs ... How much can a government do?

This is our City... We should be proud of our place... Each one of should have a personal obligation in keeping this place clean...

Thinamum theruvula irangi sutham pannalenaalum, at least asutham pannamalavathu irupom (Even if we do not get out and clean the streets, let us at least dirty them more)

vijayvmail

June 24th, 2010, 04:46 PM

In the West, while I see awareness for a lot of things, I do not see them careful with their Water or Electricity, because its cheap and easily available. (Though reality behind the scenes is different)

A slight off-topic observation:
I lived around the New York area for a couple of years. As you said, there is more awareness on the cleanliness aspect and there are options for recycling waste etc.

But one striking thing that I noted was the indiscriminate use of plastic bags there - In many of the groceries and supermarkets like Shop Rite, Best Buy and even the smaller ones, I've seen them using 2 plastic bags (one inside the other) to put the groceries. This, so that they would hold more weight. If I go grocery shopping and buy for say $50, I would end up 5 or 6 packages which means 10 or 12 plastic bags. In fact, I got the habit of carrying my own plastic bags only after seeing that.

I"m not really sure of how they treat the discarded bags though. Probably they are recycled.

ranga

June 24th, 2010, 05:51 PM

i don;t understand why any1 who visits chennai call it dirty and filthy...i still don't get it...i ve never been there but it looks f9 to me...any chennaite please explain!!

I too don't understand.Its a prejudiced mind.For the last five decades i have been going around many places in India and to me all places look filthy and dirty in this country and the intensity of filth has magnfied in the course of these years.Many parts of old Delhi,Kolkatta,Mumbai,Ahmedabad,Hyderabad and even Bangalore are very dirty.The cities and towns in U.P,Bihar,Jharkand,West Bengal,Orissa,Chattisgarh,Maharashtra,Gujarat are very dirty and some areas are unfit for human habitation.When the country is full of filth and dirt the visitors who come to chennai from their filthy towns and cities behave as though they are from an advanced country.:lol:

ranga

June 24th, 2010, 06:05 PM

AP used to be much dirtier than TN until the early 90's when CBN took over and ever since then, you can see some orderliness (directly proportional to cleanliness) in AP. KA and Kerala were traditionally cleaner places (spitting or public defecation is very rare). The reason TN looks dirty is that people cant stand still for 1 minute w/o spitting. parking is totally unregulated plus the number of shops and roadside hawkers is very high as compared to other southern states.

A.P is now very very dirty.Infact it is the filthiest among the southern states.CBN only made a window dressing with all the muck swept under to please Bill Gates and Clinton.The coastal towns of A.P are the dirtiest parts of the state and they are like that from time immemorial.

Raji7373

June 24th, 2010, 06:10 PM

i don;t understand why any1 who visits chennai call it dirty and filthy...i still don't get it...i ve never been there but it looks f9 to me...any chennaite please explain!!

I have one doubt : Do you meet only Expats & NRI's who visits Chennai?
Yes, Chennai is dirty when compared to cities like Sydney, Brisbane, Stockholm, Newyork, Paris, Zurich etc.:lol:
According to me none of the cities in India can be certified as clean and neat city...I have lived in three cities and visited many cities...but alas..none can be compare to European, UAE cities.

ChennaiIndian

June 24th, 2010, 08:28 PM

@Raji - this is my observation...just thought I can share but I have no comments to offer...its your wish to post whatever you want - almost all your posts across various threads are bashing Chennai and/or being cynical at it. Yen? Yen thangalidam indha kola veri? :lol::lol:

yashchauhan

June 24th, 2010, 08:29 PM

ChennaiIndian

June 24th, 2010, 08:31 PM

^^ People say that the whole of North India is filthy, lack of orderliness etc. whether is Bihar, UP or Delhi. :baeh3:

hotshot

June 24th, 2010, 08:33 PM

^^ Have you been to Chandigarh or New Delhi???????

Just a question, i really do find your comments to be biased and self made!!

ChennaiIndian

June 24th, 2010, 08:35 PM

^^ That was just to poke fun. Nothing serious.

yashchauhan claims that Chennai is filthy based on other people's comments coz he also says he hasn't been there. In the same way, people have told me that North India is filthy. Even I haven't been there. :)

R2IChennai

June 24th, 2010, 10:00 PM

seku

June 24th, 2010, 10:46 PM

one of the reason, for ppl getting into such notion could be by seeing the slums, which appear in most part of the city (near beaches, all river banks and canal banks, which flows thru city central region... ) ... in contrast cities like delhi, which has the second largest slum population in india doesn't expose slums in commercial districts atlst..delhi slums are mostly in old delhi or yamuna banks (almost eastern end, unless we consider NOIDA dis will be outer)... similarly in mumbai it area specific like daravi... d kind of entertainment/ recreation for ppl in cities like delhi, banglre are mostly man made (india gate, malls etc etc), which is relatively easy to maintain and located in posh area, in contrast to wide spread beaches in chennai.. and ppl who comment "filthy" mostly conclude just based on their travelled route and visited places in any of these cities...:bash:

in my observation, cities in kerala like kochi/ trivandrum could be termed better in cleanliness than other metros.. at lst i was stopped from littering in public by my fren, when i visited there....

again its perception of individuals... for me, its always up to its name "singara chennai" :lol:

vamsireddy

June 24th, 2010, 10:50 PM

Well they don't say the same about Hyderabad,Vizag,COchin,Bangalore..infact they say that Hyd and mysore are the cleanest in India and I have been to Hyderabad ,Bangalore and Mysore,OOty and i preceived south to be more orderly and clean than north..never got to go to chennai but same people find it filthy..its not weather and not also the southern bias...its more because chennai is much more older and grander than the rest!!!

A.P is now very very dirty.Infact it is the filthiest among the southern states. CBN only made a window dressing with all the muck swept under to please Bill Gates and Clinton.The coastal towns of A.P are the dirtiest parts of the state and they are like that from time immemorial.

Yash ji, thank you for your kind words. But, please excuse AP and her cities for your comparisons. We are Filthy #1 among southern states now and Vizag and coastal towns are filthiest since time immemorial. Regards.

R2IChennai

June 24th, 2010, 10:59 PM

bonoslack7

June 25th, 2010, 04:33 AM

http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_water-presents-a-deluge-of-opportunity_1400853-all

ChennaiIndian

June 25th, 2010, 05:26 AM

Chennai the cleanest city in India (a year old article)
http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=87380
Stop this nonsense all Indian cities are dirty and there are clean parts and bad parts in every peice, Infact New york city is really dirty compared to most US cities

Exactly!! People take hear-say seriously and post comments biased against some cities forgetting the fact that we are living in India. :)

hotshot

June 25th, 2010, 05:28 AM

Exactly!! People take hear-say seriously and post comments biased against some cities forgetting the fact that we are living in India. :)

The report is wrong.!!! I was in Chennai few months back as my friend did her course from NIFT Chennai( Dint Qualify for Delhi NIFT:nuts::lol::lol:)

Its not that clean , you know it very well Chennai Indian..atleast be true to yourself.!!:)

ChennaiIndian

June 25th, 2010, 05:32 AM

hotshot

June 25th, 2010, 05:34 AM

^^ Come on friend, you know very well that Delhi is in India and not in the US of A. You could be true to yourself!! :lol: Anyway, this argument looks childish any further.

Posting hear-say comments started this whole thing off. Hope, we reduce doing that in future. :)

When did i say anything about Delhi yaar,???:nuts::nuts:

I just talked about Delhi NIFT which is tough nut to crack..not delhi city..!!

What i was saying is tat Chennai is not clean , i don't go on people saying this and people saying that , i only form my opinion when i see it myself, been there seen it not clean..thats it..its all what i saw during my trip recently..bro don't take it personally i am just letting you know my UNBIASED experience

ChennaiIndian

June 25th, 2010, 05:40 AM

^^ That was my response to some of your earlier posts but for the most part, the "hear-say" thing was pointed out at yashchauhan who started all these.

sridhar_n

June 25th, 2010, 05:49 AM

Comparing Chennai with any other city is in vain, it is all only relative. Bottom line is that all indian cities are filthy. Chennai is not clean and let us do our part to make it clean - like not littering, stopping our friends who litter etc. Couple of months back I along with my friends went to Marina and cleaned the place voluntarily. I hope the people who saw us cleaning would stop littering. Let us spread awareness.

R2IChennai

June 25th, 2010, 08:21 AM

When did i say anything about Delhi yaar,???:nuts::nuts:

I just talked about Delhi NIFT which is tough nut to crack..not delhi city..!!

What i was saying is tat Chennai is not clean , i don't go on people saying this and people saying that , i only form my opinion when i see it myself, been there seen it not clean..thats it..its all what i saw during my trip recently..bro don't take it personally i am just letting you know my UNBIASED experience

Why do you guys pick on Chennai? You
according to the report

"The study, Lifebuoy Swastha Chetna City Meter, was conducted by AC Nielsen ORG-MARG for Hindustan Lever Ltd.
The major determining factors of the study included greenery and plantations, clean roads, availability of dustbins in public places and efficiency of the garbage disposal system"

I believe them more than you, if my perception is important I can even say singapore is dirty and get away with it saying thats what i experienced but it has to be credible

I have been to many times delhi and it was as clean or as bad as Chennai, end of the topic I summed it up already there are good and bad parts of every Indian city and I think its time to start cleanliness campaign wherever you are,

chennaivaasi123

June 25th, 2010, 08:42 AM

Chennaivaasi,
Why we need to wait for govt to ban the plastics? lets start reducing the usage of plastic bags. If you are getting 3 bags from a textile show room, ask them to put everything in 1/2 bags. you will be doing this before few persons and they will also think why this guy is avoiding 1 bag.. :)

i meant something different;
block the source& force consumers to stop using plastic;
but u r telling the round-abt way;
govt will make plastic freely/cheaply available-but people shud use it in a limited way;
even many of our civilized groups are not even aware of such things as plastic & its effect on environment,etc-then where come the limited usage.
sir, b practical -in country as india.

Sathisht77

June 25th, 2010, 10:28 AM

When did i say anything about Delhi yaar,???:nuts::nuts:

I just talked about Delhi NIFT which is tough nut to crack..not delhi city..!!

What i was saying is tat Chennai is not clean , i don't go on people saying this and people saying that , i only form my opinion when i see it myself, been there seen it not clean..thats it..its all what i saw during my trip recently..bro don't take it personally i am just letting you know my UNBIASED experience

Individual opinions however much you claim are always biased. This is statistics.
Ok, did you go over every single area in Chennai ? If not then your opinoin is biased..
Did you have set criteria to evaluate ? If not then you are biased

NMDC controlled areas in Delhi have to be clean..because this is the national capital with no resource crunch. If you happen to live in Chandni Chowk area in Delhi, you will not say Chennai is dirty based on your glance...Iam dead sure you just visited Chennai for a short period.. Live and then speak.....

hotshot

June 25th, 2010, 10:31 AM

^^ uhhh leave it no point

Marathaman

June 25th, 2010, 10:32 AM

hotshot

June 25th, 2010, 10:36 AM

:?:?:?

hotshot

June 25th, 2010, 10:43 AM

Atleast Chennai is more much more pleasant and and liveable than most UP cities like Lucknow/Kanpur etc.

Chandigarh is a Union Territory and Delhi has its own Chief Minister, that's why they are better administered.

Yups both your points are very true...chennai better than many ...and lucknow isn't that bad yaar

ranga

June 25th, 2010, 01:58 PM

ranga

June 25th, 2010, 02:02 PM

^^ Have you been to Chandigarh or New Delhi???????

Just a question, i really do find your comments to be biased and self made!!

Yes chandigarh is clean and only planned city of the country planned by not an indian but a foreigner.New Delhi planned by the English rulers has now deteriorated after six decades of swadeshi rule.

Marathaman

June 25th, 2010, 02:05 PM

Chennai was also planned by the British

Arul Murugan

June 25th, 2010, 02:12 PM

Chennai was also planned by the British

Only George Town was planned by them. But that has become more congested place of Chennai city now.

ranga

June 25th, 2010, 02:20 PM

When did i say anything about Delhi yaar,???:nuts::nuts:

I just talked about Delhi NIFT which is tough nut to crack..not delhi city..!!

What i was saying is tat Chennai is not clean , i don't go on people saying this and people saying that , i only form my opinion when i see it myself, been there seen it not clean..thats it..its all what i saw during my trip recently..bro don't take it personally i am just letting you know my UNBIASED experience

If a fellow Indian comments about cleaniness of a city when the entire country is full of filth and garbage it sounds biased.I lived in Delhi during my service and know many parts are filthier than the southern cities including chennai.Added to that eve teasing is rampant in Delhi and now the medieval culture of honour killings.Delhi despite having the advantage of being capital of the second most populous country of the world does't look like say Bejing of CHINA.This my observations of my five years of stay in Delhi.its all filth coupled with rudeness allround.Its what i saw and still see of our National capital.

Marathaman

June 25th, 2010, 02:23 PM

Will the esteemed citizens of Delhi agree to vacate their homes for a 6 lane highway through middle of Sarojini Nagar?

ranga

June 25th, 2010, 02:35 PM

Yups both your points are very true...chennai better than many ...and lucknow isn't that bad yaar

Lucknow the city of havelis,erstwhile nawabs, tehezib and beautiful women has its own charm but the city is't clean janab.:)

Marathaman

June 25th, 2010, 02:36 PM

All the Tehzeeb and havelis part is pre-colonial. Before the city was torn down to ruins during the revolt of 1857.

ramvaradan

June 25th, 2010, 03:08 PM

Arasu

June 25th, 2010, 03:34 PM

Arasu

June 25th, 2010, 03:44 PM

If a fellow Indian comments about cleaniness of a city when the entire country is full of filth and garbage it sounds biased.I lived in Delhi during my service and know many parts are filthier than the southern cities including chennai.Added to that eve teasing is rampant in Delhi and now the medieval culture of honour killings.Delhi despite having the advantage of being capital of the second most populous country of the world does't look like say Bejing of CHINA.This my observations of my five years of stay in Delhi.its all filth coupled with rudeness allround.Its what i saw and still see of our National capital.

I have lived in both Delhi and Bombay. It is my personal opinion based on my observations that Indian as a country would have done a lot better, if Bombay (Mumbai) had been made the capital of our country.

Bombay set a very good example for work culture, private enterprise, reward for hard-work, less focus on show but more on real stuff, minding your own business, let and let live, etc, etc.

My observation of Delhi was the opposite in many instances. More on show-off then doing the real stuff, focus on material/outwardly/supercilious stuff than deeper/inner things, stereotyping of people/cultures, arrogance, babu/power culture which tries to stop work rather than productive/constructive work.

It could be wrong and a sweeping generalisation - could be the biased opinion of a South Indian guy. But, that is my personal opinion anyways.

Marathaman

June 25th, 2010, 03:56 PM

Delhi has this culture since the days of the Mughal empire. That's how things were run back then - patronage and family ties.

ChennaiIndian

June 25th, 2010, 03:57 PM

I have lived in both Delhi and Bombay. It is my personal opinion based on my observations that Indian as a country would have done a lot better, if Bombay (Mumbai) had been made the capital of our country.

Bombay set a very good example for work culture, private enterprise, reward for hard-work, less focus on show but more on real stuff, minding your own business, let and let live, etc, etc.

My observation of Delhi was the opposite in many instances. More on show-off then doing the real stuff, focus on material/outwardly/supercilious stuff than deeper/inner things, stereotyping of people/cultures, arrogance, babu/power culture which tries to stop work rather than productive/constructive work.

It could be wrong and a sweeping generalisation - could be the biased opinion of a South Indian guy. But, that is my personal opinion anyways.

+1 :cheers::cheers:

Bombay is more friendly to people speaking any Indian language compared to Delhi.

bharathkasthuri

June 25th, 2010, 04:05 PM

Mumbai friendly: My experience is not so. I was forced to talk in Hindi even with English speaking population during my visits there.

vs007

June 25th, 2010, 04:39 PM

Why are we discussing sarojini nagar, delhi, mughal empire in Chennai discussions thread?

bharathkasthuri

June 25th, 2010, 04:54 PM

Since yesterday this thread started discussing on cleanliness and comparative study of cities. Delhi has become the core topic of discussion. I think we will run through all areas of Delhi and Mumbai and then we will be back to Chennai.:). Every week im seeing this trend. You come back next week this will happen. We are used to comparison since childhood.

hotshot

June 25th, 2010, 07:10 PM

+1 :cheers::cheers:

Bombay is more friendly to people speaking any Indian language compared to Delhi.

Hahaha nice go to mumbai first my frnd , you can speak any language here in Delhi and still not get beaten up...try it on the other side...

Ranga yours is just plain made up stories so i ignore you ...your comments shows you are hurt

Arul Murugan

June 25th, 2010, 07:21 PM

Hahaha nice go to mumbai first my frnd , you can speak any language here in Delhi and still not get beaten up...try it on the other side...

Ranga yours is just plain made up stories so i ignore you ...your comments shows you are hurt

Other than Hindi what language is needed in Delhi? That is not the case with other metropolitan cities.

Every city has its own advantages and dis-advantages, here I don't want degrade any city.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Hope the thread get back into Chennai discussion.

hotshot

June 25th, 2010, 07:25 PM

Other than Hindi what language is needed in Delhi? That is not the case with other metropolitan cities.

Every city has its own advantages and dis-advantages, here I don't want degrade any city.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Hope the thread get back into Chennai discussion.

Oh we people must be gawar then...just hindi ..no english ...

boss Punjabi , hindi, Bengali, English, Kannada etc etc are all very common languages in Delhi...Arul you have never been to delhi then

nsantha2

June 25th, 2010, 07:30 PM

Instead of arguing about whose city is atrociously dirty and whose is only moderately dirty, I think we're wasting a lot of time. Why not try to figure out ways to either make Chennai cleaner by some organic effort or borrow a successful idea from another city?

Pperhaps someone else who has lived in another Indian city can contribute what they've seen that works and how it can be adapted to fit Chennai's needs?

Leo_r

June 25th, 2010, 07:40 PM

The only person who will be laughing over a cup of Coffee will be Yash Chavan ,a clever guy. He knows it is too easy to ignite the passions of a sensitive group in this forum who will go on and on and waste their and others time.

Everything here ends up in mere gossip and leave a bad taste,

Period.

Arul Murugan

June 25th, 2010, 07:45 PM

Oh we people must be gawar then...just hindi ..no english ...

boss Punjabi , hindi, Bengali, English, Kannada etc etc are all very common languages in Delhi...Arul you have never been to delhi then

When Kannada became common language in Delhi when it trying hard to keep its no.1 position in Bengaluru itself.:lol: I have been to Delhi... Hindi is the common language there, nothing else.

Those migrants from other states can very well speak Hindi. This will be my last post on Delhi here.

Abhishek901

June 25th, 2010, 07:47 PM

Will the esteemed citizens of Delhi agree to vacate their homes for a 6 lane highway through middle of Sarojini Nagar?

What what ???

+1 :cheers::cheers:

Bombay is more friendly to people speaking any Indian language compared to Delhi.

How ? I haven't been to Mumbai but I perceive it to be less open to other languages (and people), may due to Thakrey episode.

PS - Delhi 4 official languages - Hindi, English, Punjabi, Urdu. You will find these 4 languages in road names, on DTC buses, etc.

Why are we discussing sarojini nagar, delhi, mughal empire in Chennai discussions thread?

+1

The only person who will be laughing over a cup of Coffee will be Yash Chavan ,a clever guy. He knows it is too easy to ignite the passions of a sensitive group in this forum who will go on and on and waste their and others time.

Everything here ends up in mere gossip and leave a bad taste,

Period.

:lol: :lol:

ChennaiIndian

June 25th, 2010, 07:50 PM

IchimaruGin1

June 25th, 2010, 07:54 PM

^^ Hereafter, I will ignite Northie threads periodically :lol:. However, they are and will be united in their defense (even if they can be proved wrong) unlike the people of this thread - my observation. :lol::lol:

cant believe you people reacted to Yash Chauhan.:ohno:

when will the members of SSCI learn?

Having said that I am a sucker for Yash Chauhan thread in the chaibar.

ChennaiIndian

June 25th, 2010, 08:00 PM

^^ :lol::lol: No one is reacting to one individual. As you know, SSC TN threads have the most critics amongst all India threads. As a result, things go 'out of control' at times :lol:.

Abhishek901

June 25th, 2010, 08:06 PM

^^ :lol::lol: No one is reacting to one individual. As you know, SSC TN threads have the most critics amongst all India threads. As a result, things go 'out of control' at times :lol:.

High number of posters in South is a major cause of debates. Up north there aren't many posters. Your arguments will go unheard there :lol:

ChennaiIndian

June 25th, 2010, 08:08 PM

^^ Even then KN or AP forums have lesser debates.

Cosmicbliss

June 25th, 2010, 08:13 PM

Chennai discussions are the best discussion form in India SSC and perhaps the most stimulating and thoughtful of of all the forums discussing issues on the internet anywhere. I make it a point to visit the Chennai discussions/TN discussions before any other because the discussions are really discussions. This is genuinely a forum where issues are discussed without the flame wars, meaningless name-calling, abuse and expletives which characterize much of the Internet. If you doubt what I say pay a visit to Rediff or even other forums on this same SSC or any other. Chennai discussions are really like a vast sitting room where we are all discussing a particular issue. Like in any group discussion which doesn't have a structured end and beginning all sorts of irrelevant and unrelated issues keep coming in and discussions which start off with on a topic end up somewhere totally different. That's how it is in a real discussion in real life. If you get people in a room and ask them to sit around and yak that's what will happen there too. What we should be proud of is that this is one of the places on the Net where the quality of the discussion is far above not only much of the rubbish that online discussions tend to be, it is also often stimulating and thought-provoking and sees lively informed debate.

ChennaiIndian

June 25th, 2010, 08:23 PM

^^ However, for a new-comer, these happenings will give an impression that 'bad things' happen only in TN :ohno: and using that an excuse, those folks will close their eyes and stopping looking around them and will eventually stop accepting criticism about their states :lol:.

hotshot

June 25th, 2010, 08:29 PM

Arasu

June 25th, 2010, 08:36 PM

^^ Isn't that the reason why Nobel Price winner Amatya Sen calls us 'The arugumentative Indian'?

What is the problem, then? Have a binge until the mods notice it.

ChennaiIndian

June 25th, 2010, 08:38 PM

hotshot

June 25th, 2010, 08:59 PM

^^ B'lore is the only city which in recent times have grown to the level of Chennai or more (as per many claims) affecting the metro rankings in India. As a result, this is the only comparison going on, if at all. All the other cities that you had mentioned are relatively larger or smaller to Chennai from British times i.e. the metro rankings have been maintained and so I don't see any comparisons there apart from invoking some examples.

What is annoying to hear is people's hatred towards TN and Chennai for all sorts of reasons (good or bad) :bash:. Sometimes these show up in their postings and when you come to Chennai or TN thread and post these things, you are surely asking for dharma-adi (public beating) :lol::lol:.

No my friend , people some to this thread when they see their city being given bad name by chennai forumers...like you yourself did and Sudheesh pointed out and we were forced to join this arguments..similarly i noticed that chennai people alway keeps on bashing banglore and vice versa why that..

actually that annoys, anyhow think of this with calm head, if still you want arguments to continue you are free to do so

me getting out , india is bigger than Delhi, mumbai or chennai to me

ChennaiIndian

June 25th, 2010, 09:01 PM

^^ Likewise, Yash Chauhan started something in this thread and so other cities were invoked.

For everyone, India is bigger than any city or state. However, this is a Chennai forum and issues are local to this city including comparisons with others and arguments.

vs007

June 25th, 2010, 09:02 PM

well, forgt it..you people please carry on

Ya we will try. :D

--

I agree with your sentiments expressed below regarding comparison and subscribe to that.

hotshot

June 25th, 2010, 09:04 PM

Boss comparison is fine, but that doesnt mean comparison can only be done by bringing other cities down or bashing them..

anyways , lets stop this discussion ...my Gf will kill me if she finds me talking against Chennai first reason she likes MS Dhoni aloooooot and secondly she did her NIFT from Chennai so hasta la Vista baby hehe:lol:

Well THANK YOU VS007:applause:

OrbitZen

June 25th, 2010, 10:37 PM

யாஷ் சௌஹான்-ன்னு ஒரு புண்ணியவான் வந்தாரு.. "உங்க ஊரு ரொம்ப கலீஜா இருக்காமே? அது ஏன்பா அப்படின்னு" ஒரு திரிய கொளுத்தி போட்டுட்டு போயிட்டாரு..இங்க தீபாவளியே நடக்குது. மவராசன் எங்க இருந்தாலும் நல்லா இருக்கட்டும். :cheers:

Translation: Please get this thread back to sanity. 2 pages filled with c**p. Next poster commenting in this squabble, please move it to chaibar.

neohistoryman

June 26th, 2010, 01:41 AM

Seeing this thread after 24 hours and have to go through 3 pages of discussion! Some interesting and thought provoking. Some plain childish and immature.
ChennaiIndian, no offence meant, but I wish you would think twice before you shoot:)

ChennaiIndian

June 26th, 2010, 05:25 AM

^^ Kadaseela, em mela pazhiya poteengalaya...nadakardhudhaan!! :lol:

Arul Murugan

June 26th, 2010, 06:09 AM

darkprinz

June 26th, 2010, 09:19 AM

^^ Lol... Thats a smaert move :lol: BTW i have confidence on this movie team ..waiting to c old madras or Madrasapatinam :banana:

MyNation

June 26th, 2010, 09:29 AM

not sure if this is already posted. Apologize if i am posting it again..

hennai: After two years of micro seismic mapping of the city, the Geographical Survey of India (GSI) has completed a first-level study that indicates its various degrees of vulnerability to earthquakes and tremors. This is the first such study undertaken by the GSI, which categorises areas of Chennai into high, moderate, low and nil hazard zones.
“With the data on soil parameters, we have divided the city into zones and assessed how each area behaves in conditions of simulated quake of moderate intensity,” V Balachandran, deputy director general, GSI, Hyderabad, told TOI. Based on various parameters, including geological and geophysical characteristics obtained through a simple method of drilling 30-metre deep bores into the earth, the city has been classified into various zones.
South of Adyar river is “very low to nil hazard zone”, parts of Anna Nagar have been rated “low hazard zone”, Valsarawakkam areas are “low to moderate hazard” and north Chennai is a “high hazard” zone. The factors used in determining the various zones include soil strength, fault lines obtained from satellite pictures, liquefaction potential of the soil (its ability to behave like a liquid during an earthquake and thus weaken a building’s foundation) and geo-hydrology factors, such as the depth of the water table, in an area.
HOW THE CITY FARES CHENNAI HAS BEEN CATEGORISED INTO VARIOUS ZONES DEPENDING ON ITS VULNERABILITY TO QUAKES AND TREMORS
Very low to nil hazard
Areas south of Adyar river
Low hazard
Parts of Anna Nagar
Low to moderate hazard
Areas near Valsarawakkam
High hazard
Areas of North Chennai

Source :http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2010/06/24&PageLabel=1&EntityId=Ar00101&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

MyNation

June 26th, 2010, 09:31 AM

Chennai: In recent years, Chennai has expanded rapidly and so has crime in the city, particularly those relating to property. A survey of the statistics put out by the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) for the past four years, from 2006 to 2009, show that Chennai ranks high in all crimes relating to property, followed closely by Tirunelveli and Coimbatore. Property crimes, as defined by the SCRB, include murder, dacoity, burglary, robbery and theft.
ADGP A Radhakrishnan says that good flow of money and the good economy could be a reason. “In the case of Chennai, due to a general increase in economic prosperity, land prices have gone up. This may have led to an increase in such crimes.”
According to T Chitty Babu, president of the TN Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association, the causes range from increasing land prices to land itself being viewed as a way to earn some quick money. Moreover, with agricultural land in the city suburbs and districts being sold for commercial purposes, farmers, who become millionaires overnight, find themselves a vulnerable target for robbery, burglary and other means of extortion. This has also led to an increase in organised crime in matters of real estate.
However, in 2009, Chennai does not rank among the top five with regard to property crimes. But this is not because crime rate in the city has reduced, police officials say. It is only because crime in the districts have gone up.

Source : http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2010/06/25&PageLabel=1&EntityId=Ar00103&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

MyNation

June 26th, 2010, 09:33 AM

Chennai: Driving in the city has become a pleasant experience and the average traffic policeman, usually a harassed person, is breathing easy thanks to the June 23-27 World Classical Tamil conference in Coimbatore. The five-day holiday (including the weekend) announced for schools and colleges has meant lesser vehicular congestion on city roads and lesser headaches for those regulating the traffic.
Considering the importance of the Coimbatore event and to draw crowds, the government declared holidays for schools and colleges and announced a special casual leave for its employees. Taking advantage of the “vacation,” many city families packed their bags and went off on short tours; others are spending their time shopping and visiting movie theatres. This has brought down the traffic during peak hours, evident from the fast pace at which MTC buses are moving.
On a normal working day, a traffic policeman has his hands full managing the heavy vehicular flow during peak hours, especially due to parents rushing to drop or pick up their school-going children. During these hours, his absence from a junction means chaos. Automobiles move at a snail’s pace and office-goers curse the traffic for arriving late at office.
A corporation employee said, “Usually it takes half an hour for me to reach office by bus. On Thursday, it took only 15 minutes. The roads were not crowded and a holiday mood was prevailing everywhere.”
Among the families that went off on a vacation was that of Mathew Joseph of Adyar. “My daughter who studies in school and college-going son had holidays, so we thought of taking a break by going to Bangalore. It is not often that the entire family is free,” he said before leaving.
Ajay Paul of Mylapore, a state government employee, said he availed himself of the special casual leave for a day and took the family for a movie in the afternoon and then for lunch. “We also had plans to spend the evening in the beach, but then we cancelled it,” he said. ......................................................

Source : http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2010/06/25&PageLabel=2&EntityId=Ar00203&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

MyNation

June 26th, 2010, 09:43 AM

Chennai: Upholding the Chennai Corporation’s right over the open space reserve (OSR) land in front of a star hotel near the Anna flyover, the Madras high court has rapped the hotel management for abusing the process of the court by trying to stall the corporation’s take-over bid.
Justice K Chandru, dismissing a writ petition filed by M/s Apeejay Surendra Park Hotels Limited, said the management had not even stated the survey number of the property supposedly owned by it. “The writ petition is a clear abuse of process of court filed merely to pre-empt the action of the corporation,”he said.
In its petition, the hotel said it purchased the property from Gemini Hotels and
Holdings Limited in August 2000. Though the Gemini group had already gifted the OSR land to the Chennai Corporation, which too had taken possession of the land thereafter, the present management contended that transfer of OSR land to the local body without compensation was unconstitutional.
The hotel has at present put up a cycle stand, sump, sewerage system, parking space and also blocked the entrance passage by constructing a compound wall with a water fountain.
............................................

Source : http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2010/06/25&PageLabel=4&EntityId=Ar00409&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

MyNation

June 26th, 2010, 09:47 AM

Chennai: Irked at the menace of private business establishments fencing up a portion of public roads for use as their exclusive parking facility, the Madras high court has said it could not be allowed any more.
Chief Justice M Yousuf Eqbal and Justice TS Sivagnanam made the observation on Friday, when a public interest writ petition filed by K Krishnamani of George Town area highlighting the issue came up for hearing.
Chief Justice Eqbal, remarking that there were many such ‘fenced parking lots’ in the city, said he would issue directions to the corporation commissioner asking him to remove such encroachments so as to pave the way for parking by the general public.
However, after government pleader J Raja Kalifulla said that some of the respondents had not received notice, the court ordered second notice to the respondents, who included 10 establishments including the Rajaji Salai branch of the Indian Bank, Jesus Calls Building, AS Shipping Limited, Hot Chips, Olympic Cards and Stationeries, and Standard Chartered Bank.
In his petition, Krishnamani said these private institutions fenced up road margins and even employed their own security guards to abuse and intimidate the general public if they attempted to park their vehicles there.
..................................

Source : http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2010/06/26&PageLabel=2&EntityId=Ar00203&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

cofee

June 26th, 2010, 10:30 AM

Let us try to deviate the thread.

Madraspattinam movie - will show the colonial days of Madras. I guess it will be first such movie to show British India Madras.

Trams gonna run on Mount Road in 13days.

http://dkn.dinakaran.com/pdf/2010/06/26/20100626c_016101008.jpg

DKN

Would love to watch Madras in its former glory.

Hope they have reproduced Madras as close to historical accuracy as possible.

A PLACE CALLED MADRAS USED TO BE THE CAPITAL OF SOUTH INDIA

bharathkasthuri

June 26th, 2010, 10:48 AM

A PLACE CALLED MADRAS USED TO BE THE CAPITAL OF SOUTH INDIA

- potential is there, only the question of application, interest to become the gateway.

bharathkasthuri

June 26th, 2010, 10:58 AM

I see for the last 2 weeks (as i come late from office) most of the arterial roads are not lighted properly. The street lights are wantedly switched off, leaving darkness for the road users.

For the last 1 week most of the NH road from guindy to tambaram was switched off. Velachery, Taramani, Koyambedu, etc i could see most of the street lights are not burning. Is this because of power saving strategy/ or these lights are in non working state? We see reports on increasing accidents in evenings/late nights, is this because of this condition. For cars, motorbikes it was atleast ok, for people riding on cycles, walking on the road its a nightmare.

I dont know whom to report/escalate this issue. Im sure it cannot be in all these places at the same time Pl. suggest.

When street lights were not burning every where, a party celebration was going on in complete velachery where every metre /less there was a tube light burning at 5pm when there was sufficient day light.

Thanks
Bharath K

arun82

June 26th, 2010, 11:42 AM

bharathkasthuri

June 26th, 2010, 03:31 PM

They should have predicted (which they) the power shortfall.

One way to combat the shortfall is to move towards non conventional energy and invest on wind energy. I read in TI that the state can generate 6000 MW (wind energy) but currently 4000 MW is only getting harnessed.

Other than this all Malls, commercial should go green with less resistance, LED, CFL, VFD (Variable Frequency Device), AC with automatic energy saving sensors , intelligent lighting. The capital cost might be high but can help save money, energy.

Final note: DOnt compromise on safety of citizens and put citizens in danger (at tax payer's money) by taking such exteme steps of switching off all lights on Main Roads.

Leo_r

June 26th, 2010, 07:17 PM

If the area falls under Corporation of Chennai..

Non-burning of street lights

Complaint cell ---- 25384530 / 25384670
Superintending Engineer (Electrical) / Divisional Engineer (Electrical) 25383694
EPBX 25384510 Ext.352, 371

or 1913

ChennaiIndian

June 27th, 2010, 01:54 AM

Courtesy: NDTV Pollution Watch

Source: http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/pollution.aspx

http://www.picoolio.com/photos/large/17436-9x3tp.jpg

ChennaiIndian

June 27th, 2010, 01:57 AM

^^ T.Nagar being the most congested and commercialized part of Chennai these days is taken as the place of measurement of this pollution index. It is in the 'unhealthy' region. I think that industrialized North Chennai may have similar numbers.

When the Metro and the elevated corridor construction picks up, we can expect these numbers go go up. However, Metro for the most part is underground in Mount Road and hopefully, its pollution numbers won't go up.

satchitananda

June 28th, 2010, 03:13 PM

SOURCE: http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/six-sezs-to-become-operational-in-tn-by-dec/99524/on

Six more special economic zones (SEZs) are likely to become operational in Tamil Nadu by December even though the proposed direct tax code seeks to withdraw tax sops to new units in the SEZs.

"We expect six new SEZs to go on stream this year," a senior Commerce Ministry official said.

The new SEZs that are expected to become operational in the state include a multi-service and light engineering SEZs at Kalpakam near here, a free-trade warehousing zone at Sripermubdur, a food processing zone at Tuticorin and a multi-product SEZ at Nanguneri.

Of the 57 notified SEZs in Tamil Nadu, 11 non-IT SEZs and 10 IT zones are already operational.

Exports from non-IT SEZs in 2009-10 was worth Rs 35,640.64 crore, while software exports totalled RS 8,152 crore.
Following the release of first DTC draft last year, scores of SEZ units and developers had raised concerns that the zones were attractive due to the tax sops and their withdrawal would drive away future investors.

According to the revised DTC draft, only existing units will get tax exemptions.

"Any government rule affects business," Mahindra World City chief operating officer Sangeeta Prasad said. Mahindra World City near here, spread over 1,550 acres, has three sector-specific SEZs.

However, Madras Export Processing Zone(MEPZ) development commissioner Ajay Mittal does not believe so. "Economic activities with or without tax incentives have been taking place and they will continue to do so," Mittal said, adding most of the units in the MEPZ are thriving without the benefits as their 10-year exemption period has already expired.

The MEPZ came into existence in 1984, before the SEZ Act came into force.

chennaidesi

June 28th, 2010, 09:31 PM

Foreign tourists flock to Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu
Vineeta Pandey / DNAMonday, June 28, 2010 0:09 IST Email

New Delhi: It appears as if swine flu and the economic recession failed to deter Indian tourists.

Despite adverse advisories and the financial crunch, domestic tourism registered a 15.5% growth during 2009, according to statistics from the tourism ministry.

On the other hand, foreign tourist visits (FTVs) saw a decline of 2.8% last year. The drop in figures was a natural fallout due to swine flu and the recession.

However, despite the fall in numbers, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra were the most visited destinations by foreign tourists.

Tamil Nadu emerged on top pushing behind Delhi, which had traditionally had the highest FTVs being the country’s capital.

Maharashtra continued to remain the second favourite destination for foreigners mainly because of Mumbai.

Though it is difficult to pinpoint the exact reasons for the change in preferences, people in the tourism industry said that the trend indicates that tourists wanted to go beyond the beaten track of Jaipur and Agra.

About 20 lakh foreigners visited Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, leaving behind Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, which boasts of the Taj Mahal.

The top 10 states in terms of number of FTVs during 2009 were: Tamil Nadu (20.3 lakh) :banana:, Maharashtra (20 lakh), Delhi (19.6 lakh), Uttar Pradesh (15.3 lakh), West Bengal (11.8 lakh), Rajasthan (10.7 lakh), Andhra Pradesh (80,000), Kerala (55,000), Bihar (42,000) and Himachal Pradesh (40,000).

The contribution of these states was about 90% to the total number of FTVs in the country last year.

The percentage shares of the top five states was Tamil Nadu (17.3%), Maharashtra (14.6%), Delhi (14.3%), Uttar Pradesh (11.25) and West Bengal (8.6%).

During 2009, the number of FTVs to the states/union territories was 1.37crore compared to 1.41 and 1.33crore in 2008 and 2007, respectively. The number of FTVs registered a decline of 2.8% over 2008, compared to an increase of 6.4% in 2008 over 2007.

“While the FTVs dipped, the domestic tourism industry grew bringing out the importance of domestic tourism in the overall tourism development in the country,” a tourism ministry official said.

About 65crore domestic travelers visited states and union territories last year compared to 56.3crore in 2008 and 52.7crore in 2007.

This was a 15.5% increase over 2008 as compared tothe rise of 6.9% in 2008 over 2007.

Andhra Pradesh, because of Tirumala-Tirupati, and Uttar Pradesh because of its religious places, topped the list of states with highest tourist footfalls.

The top 10 states in terms of number of domestic tourist visits during 2009 were Andhra Pradesh (15.75 crore), Uttar Pradesh (13.48 crore), Tamil Nadu (11.58 crore), Karnataka (3.27 crore), Rajasthan (2.56 crore), Maharashtra (2.37 crore), Madhya Pradesh (2.31 crore), Uttarakhand (2.19 crore), West Bengal (2 crore) and Gujarat (1.59 crore).

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_foreign-tourists-flock-to-maharashtra-tamil-nadu_1402131

R2IChennai

June 28th, 2010, 09:36 PM

seku

June 28th, 2010, 09:41 PM

medical tourism could be a huge contributor...

satchitananda

June 28th, 2010, 09:43 PM

medical tourism could be a huge contributor...

I believe it surely has a huge potential for the future.. My hunch is Med. Tourism is not a major contributor to these numbers, especially when we are talking of multiple lakhs of foreign and domestic visitors.

chennaidesi

June 28th, 2010, 09:44 PM

I think the numbers for Andhra and kerala are 8,00,000 and 5,50,000.

ChennaiIndian

June 28th, 2010, 09:44 PM

^^ Those numbers are for foreign tourists arrival.

I spoke to a few guys in the US about what they are looking for on their tour to India and they keep saying that they want to see things that can't be seen here like magnificent temples, ancient monuments and buildings, work of arts etc. Going by these I see TN having more advantages compared to KL which has been stereotyped to promote the Ayurvedic spa that it specializes in. The beaches, hill stations etc. promoted by KL and Goa are already there in the Western world and so people are less interested with those.

chennaidesi

June 28th, 2010, 09:47 PM

Foreign nationals can be easily accounted because they come through air and they have to fill forms like custom clearance and so easy to count but not sure about domestic numbers. In Domestic imagine if Tirupati is in TN then TN will have at least 20crores and at top.

chennaidesi

June 28th, 2010, 09:50 PM

Kerala gets more europian tourists and also it promotes high value tourism where people stay in expensive hotels for longer time. Their income will be on par with TN or even places like Rajastan or Delhi.

seku

June 28th, 2010, 09:51 PM

satchitananda

June 28th, 2010, 10:03 PM

CI, it cud be for temples too... but medical tourism attracts huge... being healthcare capital, chennai (esp apollo, sankara nethralaya ), & CMC attracts huge #s.

http://www.indiahealthvisit.com/chennai-health-capital.htm
http://www.health-tourism.com/india-medical-tourism/

Agreed. Per capita $ earnings per medical tourist is definitely much higher than other categories, hence all the effort to get a bigger slice of it. :D..

satchitananda

June 28th, 2010, 10:22 PM

SOURCE: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Chennai/Conservancy-firm-to-lose-more-wards/articleshow/6103568.cms (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Chennai/Conservancy-firm-to-lose-more-wards/articleshow/6103568.cms)

The Chennai Corporation is set to take over waster disposal in 11 more wards from Neel Metal Fanalca, speeding up the conservancy agency’s exit from the city. The corporation, as a warning to the agency, had already taken over ward 128 (West K K Nagar) on June 4.

"The company has not corrected itself despite several warnings," a corporation official said. As per the plan, wards 129 (Saligramam), 117 (Vadapalani) and 118 (Trustpuram) in Kodambakkam zone will be taken over by the corporation next week. While wards 120 (United India Colony and Kamaraj Colony) and 121 (Dr Subburayan Nagar and Raghavan Colony), in the same zone, will be taken over the week after. This will be followed by six wards in Ice House zone.

With this, the services of the Neel Metal Fanalca-- which was awarded conservancy work in 66 wards across the city in 2007--will be restricted to 54 wards in four zones-- Pulianthope, Ice House, Kodambakkam and Mylapore.
In the Ice house zone, wards 79 (Aadikesavapuram), 80 (Nehru Nagar), 81 (Chintadripet), 82 (Komaleeswaranpet), 83 (Balasubramania Nagar) and 84 (Thiruvateeswaranpet), all of them falling in chief minister M Karunanidhi's constituency, will come under the control of the solid waste management department of the corporation.

The move to show the door to the private agency follows largescale complaints from the public about the shoddy work done by it. Several showcause notices sent by zonal officers of the corporation, warning to the agency to take corrective measures, proved ineffective.

As per the agreement with the corporation in August 2007, the agency is supposed to collect solid waste in 66 wards and dispose them in the notified dumping grounds in Perungudi and Tondiarpet, besides segregating the wastes.

The transition, the corporation hopes, will be smooth because it has already hired 120 conservancy workers and is recruiting 800 more people through the employment exchange. Deputy chief minister MK Stalin is likely to issue the appointment orders soon.

-------

Atleast now they realized. We sure need better integrated waste disposal - be it solid or liquid. Lets hope the next move will be in favor of the denizens of Chennai.

Subra

June 28th, 2010, 10:23 PM

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Will-Obama-be-Banga-lured/articleshow/6103391.cms

The wooing has begun in right earnest by all cities with Chennai making a list of four US-based major industries, which are doing well, while Mumbai and Agra are also pitching for his acceptance. It is learnt Maharashtra is keen that Obama stays at Taj, which faced the 26/11 attacks. This is for a confidence-building exercise.
With all these cities in the race, can Yeddyurappa hope to Banga-lure Obama?

satchitananda

June 28th, 2010, 10:28 PM

vijay_t

June 29th, 2010, 03:55 AM

I believe it surely has a huge potential for the future.. My hunch is Med. Tourism is not a major contributor to these numbers, especially when we are talking of multiple lakhs of foreign and domestic visitors.

At present Chennai is the "Medical Capital" of India.... but as India becomes most important medical tourism destination lot of Hospital from abroad opening their hospitals in india.... i saw mostly they are coming to Bangalore, Mumbai..etc...example malaysia's Colombia hospital in bangalore.......

Remember medical tourists will give preference to those hospitals first as they can get post operation procedures in their home land (not like Apollo India)........... so there is a big threat to chennai on this "Medical Tourism" ....... I think chennai should open a "Medical City" or "Medical Park" where those foreign investors should get tax benefits, good water, power, roads, Noise Pollution free, Hotels, Near airport...etc..... imagine if you can see many major hospitals in one place with all these facilities every one will come there..... But same time make sure Locals and poor get enough doctors for them, other wise the medical in chennai will become unaffordable....thats what happened in Thailand ...

bonoslack7

June 29th, 2010, 11:02 AM

http://www.livemint.com/2010/06/28235155/India-far-from-having-hub-for.html

Raji7373

June 29th, 2010, 11:56 AM

At present Chennai is the "Medical Capital" of India.... but as India becomes most important medical tourism destination lot of Hospital from abroad opening their hospitals in india.... i saw mostly they are coming to Bangalore, Mumbai..etc...example malaysia's Colombia hospital in bangalore.......

Colombia hospital is massive..I think it is nearly 30 floors or so.
Such kind of hospitals should be built in Chennai.

@ Chennai Indian : Please take comments as eye openers and it is good for of Chennai's development. Don't take it otherwise.

CHENNAI LEFT OUT!!!!?????

Harley Davidson (http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/HD_News/Company/newsarticle.jsp?locale=en_US&articleLink=News/0624_press_release.hdnews)

Swensens (http://www.swensens.com/blog/)

Can any one explain on this???

saysenthil

June 29th, 2010, 01:20 PM

Mad 4 Madras

June 29th, 2010, 01:57 PM

satchitananda

June 29th, 2010, 03:06 PM

Oooooraa olungaa vachu kaaammmaaa Obamaa vandhum ennna prayoganam ?

(Without keeping City tidy & with so much lagging in infrastructure wats going to change even if Obama visits the City? )

Atleast part of the city may get cleaned in this process.. How about getting one major foreign dignitary every month to get Chennai clean..:nuts:

venkatm

June 29th, 2010, 04:04 PM

If (A very big if) Obama comes to chennai, he will probaly go to Maraimalainagar (Ford) and will use chopper. So no need to cleanup GST road. The road from airport to his hotel will be lucky.

sudheeshnairs

June 29th, 2010, 04:04 PM

How do they measure tourist arrival? I am happy for TN but i doubht wich such low numbers for kerala and Andhra

I think the definition of a ‘Tourist’ is very vague. What I can say is I have seen only in Goa, the kind of organized Tourist activities what I have seen back home at Kovalam, Varkala or Alapuzha.

The term FTVs refer to those who land in a city, Delhi, Mumbai being the major gateways along with other metros like Chennai and Kolkata. And a majority of them being business visitors. But I feel the 99% of those who come to Kerala would be there to spend their vacation/winter in a relaxed mode.

Kerala has got many awards and acclaims internationally than any other Indian state. Recently also Munnar was rated as Asia's second best tourist destination by TripAdvisor's 2010 Traveller's Choice Destination award.

National Geographic Traveler selected Kerala as ‘one of the 50 must see destinations of a lifetime’. Kerala was also rated as “One of the 10 paradises of the World”.

Travel and Leisure described the state as "One of the 100 great trips for the 21st century - ”

I spoke to a few guys in the US about what they are looking for on their tour to India and they keep saying that they want to see things that can't be seen here like magnificent temples, ancient monuments and buildings, work of arts etc. Going by these I see TN having more advantages compared to KL which has been stereotyped to promote the Ayurvedic spa that it specializes in. The beaches, hill stations etc. promoted by KL and Goa are already there in the Western world and so people are less interested with those.

Kerala provides more than its natural beauty. Of course Ayurveda is one of the major attractions. Apart from this tourists are interested in the historical monuments, synagogues, art forms like ‘Kathakali’, martial arts like ‘Kalari’ etc.

And the backwaters, lakes and & houseboats gives Kerala an unique position. It is not common to find a lake like Vembanad Kayal which is about 800 sq km and stretches some 70+ kms.

Kerala gets more europian tourists and also it promotes high value tourism where people stay in expensive hotels for longer time. Their income will be on par with TN or even places like Rajastan or Delhi.

Yes, Kerala gets the ‘real tourists’, that is those who come here to have a relaxed holiday. A night at Kovalam beach, Trivandrum or Kumarakom may cost up to Rs.75000/-.

Kerala has presence of all big tourism brands, all across the state, like Taj, Le Meridien, Ramada, Trident, Leela, Park Plaza, ITC Fortune, Radisson etc. And there are multiple properties by the same brand in a city.

And I don’t think the revenue from "Tourism" for TN is not comparable to that of Kerala. Tourism is one of the main revenue earners of Kerala GDP, Rs.13,130 crore being the total revenue for 2008.

TN targets Rs 100 cr tourism revenue
Express News Service
First Published : 08 May 2010 03:36:00 AM IST

CHENNAI: The State government has set an ambitious target of generating approximately Rs 100 crore revenue from the tourism sector this year.
Speaking to reporters after flagging off the five new coaches of Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) at Island Grounds here on Friday, Minister for Tourism and Registration, N Suresh Ranjan said the State earned revenue worth Rs 79 crore through tourism last year. This year it aims to improve earnings by 12 per cent.

Ranjan also said that this year alone, about six crore domestic tourists and about 18 lakh international tourists visited the State.
http://expressbuzz.com/topic/tn-targets-rs-100-cr-tourism-revenue/171751.html

In revenue terms too, 2008 appears to have been a good year for Kerala’s tourism industry. According to Kerala Tourism, the total revenue, both direct and indirect, generated by the State’s tourism sector in 2008 was Rs 13,130 crore. This is a 14.84 per cent increase over total revenues in 2007. Similarly, Kerala’s foreign exchange earnings from tourism in 2008 grew by 16.11 per cent to touch Rs 3,066.52 crore.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/03/20/stories/2009032050481700.htm

bonoslack7

June 29th, 2010, 05:00 PM

Colombia hospital is massive..I think it is nearly 30 floors or so.
Such kind of hospitals should be built in Chennai.

@ Chennai Indian : Please take comments as eye openers and it is good for of Chennai's development. Don't take it otherwise.

CHENNAI LEFT OUT!!!!?????

Harley Davidson (http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/HD_News/Company/newsarticle.jsp?locale=en_US&articleLink=News/0624_press_release.hdnews)

Swensens (http://www.swensens.com/blog/)

Can any one explain on this???

i assume you are the only person who wants harley davidson in chennai other than the rowdy bikaaaarzz. Harley davidson in chennai will lead to rowdyism and add to the lists of pown pandi, spareparts sekar, etc. And please read the entire news or rather search for it. Swensens is opening shops in Chennai too, other than bangalooroo, kochi and hyderabad. Swensens is expanding in South India only. Love the pasta and carbonara there.

Raji7373

June 29th, 2010, 07:18 PM

i assume you are the only person who wants harley davidson in chennai other than the rowdy bikaaaarzz. Harley davidson in chennai will lead to rowdyism and add to the lists of pown pandi, spareparts sekar, etc. And please read the entire news or rather search for it. Swensens is opening shops in Chennai too, other than bangalooroo, kochi and hyderabad. Swensens is expanding in South India only. Love the pasta and carbonara there.

Paste the link if you have a proof...i don't find anything anywhere whatever u have mentioned.

hotshot

June 29th, 2010, 07:21 PM

Paste the link if you have a proof...i don't find anything anywhere what you ever have mentioned.

Swensen will be opening its outlet in Delhi too...so its not ONLY expanding in South India

R2IChennai

June 29th, 2010, 08:07 PM

I think the definition of a ‘Tourist’ is very vague. What I can say is I have seen only in Goa, the kind of organized Tourist activities what I have seen back home at Kovalam, Varkala or Alapuzha.

The term FTVs refer to those who land in a city, Delhi, Mumbai being the major gateways along with other metros like Chennai and Kolkata. And a majority of them being business visitors. But I feel the 99% of those who come to Kerala would be there to spend their vacation/winter in a relaxed mode.

Kerala has got many awards and acclaims internationally than any other Indian state. Recently also Munnar was rated as Asia's second best tourist destination by TripAdvisor's 2010 Traveller's Choice Destination award.

National Geographic Traveler selected Kerala as ‘one of the 50 must see destinations of a lifetime’. Kerala was also rated as “One of the 10 paradises of the World”.

Travel and Leisure described the state as "One of the 100 great trips for the 21st century - ”

Kerala provides more than its natural beauty. Of course Ayurveda is one of the major attractions. Apart from this tourists are interested in the historical monuments, synagogues, art forms like ‘Kathakali’, martial arts like ‘Kalari’ etc.

And the backwaters, lakes and & houseboats gives Kerala an unique position. It is not common to find a lake like Vembanad Kayal which is about 800 sq km and stretches some 70+ kms.

Yes, Kerala gets the ‘real tourists’, that is those who come here to have a relaxed holiday. A night at Kovalam beach, Trivandrum or Kumarakom may cost up to Rs.75000/-.

Kerala has presence of all big tourism brands, all across the state, like Taj, Le Meridien, Ramada, Trident, Leela, Park Plaza, ITC Fortune, Radisson etc. And there are multiple properties by the same brand in a city.

And I don’t think the revenue from "Tourism" for TN is not comparable to that of Kerala. Tourism is one of the main revenue earners of Kerala GDP, Rs.13,130 crore being the total revenue for 2008.

I agree for Goa and Kerala tourism is a major revenue spinner but 100 crroes is bull shit for TN, I am sure they are talking about TTDC (corporation's) revenue. It should be in the range of 1000's of crores. Tourism revenue in TN is not calculated properly.

On the numbers I suspect the malaysian/Srilankan/singapore tamils are accounted as tourists (which they are as they hold those respective passports and most likely visit thier relatives in TN and temples and spend few thousands on shopping in T-Nagar).

R2IChennai

June 29th, 2010, 08:11 PM

Atleast part of the city may get cleaned in this process.. How about getting one major foreign dignitary every month to get Chennai clean..:nuts:

Its a big win, Chennai will get global attention .
Its all marketing strategy.

Arasu

June 29th, 2010, 08:37 PM

^^ You are saying it is a big win. Are you saying Obama's visit to Chennai is confirmed?

R2IChennai

June 29th, 2010, 08:44 PM

^^ You are saying it is a big win. Are you saying Obama's visit to Chennai is confirmed?

Sorry, I meant It will be a big win

Arasu

June 29th, 2010, 08:51 PM

ok, I guessed so. Thanks,

satchitananda

June 29th, 2010, 08:59 PM

SOURCE : http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Transforming-sanitation-scenarios-in-cities--How-we-can-and-why-we-must/640085/ (http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Transforming-sanitation-scenarios-in-cities--How-we-can-and-why-we-must/640085/)

Until 10 years ago, Alandur, a residential suburb of Chennai in the Kanchipuram district, famous for its ancient temples, had no underground sewerage. In 80% of the metropolitan area outside the city of Chennai, most households depended on septic tanks with soak pits.

The urban landscape of Alandur has been transformed with an infrastructure project, which has provided a comprehensive underground sewerage network and a sewage treatment plant. Provision has also been made for community toilets on municipal land. This has been accomplished over a period of 5 years, from 2000 to 2005, by empowering the residents of Alandur to take responsibility for finding a solution within the framework of a public-private partnership and become stakeholders in the success of the partnership.

The dynamic leadership of a directly elected mayor of Alandur in the late 1990s and the supportive role played by the municipal commissioner enthused the people of the town so much that they were willing to put their own deposits with the municipality to ensure that the project is adequately funded and effectively implemented. The government of Tamil Nadu provided an enabling environment in which the promises could be kept. For example, the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act 1998 facilitated the process of financing and cost recovery.

The result of these efforts was visible to us as we drove through the streets of Alandur. Covering an area of a little over 4,800 acres, the town today has a population of 1.5 lakh and basic sanitation facilities expected of a middle class town. With its proximity to the airport and progress on the metro rail linking the town to Chennai, Alandur is clearly on the move. Not surprisingly, land value has escalated beyond imagination. Price of one ground (2,400 sq ft) of land, which was Rs 3-4 lakh in 1996, increased to Rs 50-60 lakh in 2003, and is now close to Rs 1 crore.

Providing water and sanitation to the metropolitan region of Chennai had all along been the responsibility of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board. The municipality of Alandur decided to take charge in the late 1990s. It all began with a perceived urgent need for sanitation by the then mayor of Alandur, Mr RS Bharathi. A major campaign was launched to create awareness on the importance of sanitation and mobilise public support for the project. From distribution of leaflets in English and Tamil, and using newspapers and local cable networks on TV to meetings with NGOs and election-style campaigning by councillors and officials, no stone was left unturned to get the message across.

The transparency of the process was crucial in inspiring confidence among the residents.

Resident Welfare Associations organised the collection drive for deposits (varying from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000, depending on ability to pay) from the public. A separate bank account was monitored by a special committee with the municipal commissioner as chairman and representatives from the three registered local resident welfare associations as members, and its status made public every month. People without bank accounts could deposit cash with the treasury. A special instalment scheme was arranged for those who could not pay at one go. A large number of slum dwellers opted to pay for connection to the sewerage network.

The original target of raising Rs 3.4 crore was far exceeded to yield a collection of Rs 12.4 crore. Another Rs 2.5 crore was earned through interest on depositing the funds with the Tamil Nadu Power Finance Corporation, thanks to an exemption by a flexible state government from placing the funds with a public sector bank where the interest rate was much lower (differential of 5%).

A willingness-to-pay survey of the residents of Alandur was conducted in 1997 by TNUIFSL, a private finance company, which was designated the nodal agency and was responsible for structuring the project, arranging feasibility studies, formulating the contract and arranging the finances. The survey covered a representative sample of households in Alandur whose average monthly income ranged between Rs 1,000 and Rs 5,000.

The tariff regime was designed taking account of the survey findings. It had an element of cross-subsidy built into it. Most residents fall within the category of property area between 500 and 1,500 sq ft and pay Rs 80 per month. No user charges were collected in the first year. In 2009-10, the collection amounted to Rs 3.4 crore and the municipality generated a surplus.

The project was expected to cost Rs 34 crore and the financing was arranged such that half the amount would come from the Government of India’s Megacity programme (a precursor to the JNNRUM) as a loan at an interest rate of 5% and Rs 1 crore as grant. A significant part of the rest i.e., Rs 13.6 crore, was to come from the World Bank intermediated through TNUIFSL at an interest rate of 16%, and a small part (Rs 3.4 crore) was to be funded by residents’ deposits. In the event, the residents contributed Rs 11.85 crore and only Rs 3 crore was drawn from the World Bank/TNUIFSL.

Consulting Engineering Services (India) were appointed the project management consultants. The project involved the construction of a sewer line covering the entire road length of 137 km, a pump house, 5,650 manholes and 23,700 house service connections. The network construction contract was awarded to IVRCL, a private infrastructure company now listed on the NSE and BSE. The company made a 15% return on the construction of the sewerage network.

A global tender for a sewage treatment plant of 12 mld capacity on a build-operate-transfer basis with a 14-year concession period was also won by IVRCL. The cost of the sewage treatment plant (Rs 7 crore) was borne by the private party. The municipality provided 0.5 hectares of land for the plant and the pumping station. The payment stipulated that the higher the quantity of sewage received at the treatment plant, the lower the unit rate. The private company shall also construct another 12 mld sewage treatment plant to meet the town’s growing requirements until 2030, by which time the population is expected to double. As risk mitigation, a state government guarantee was provided through TNUIFSL to the contractor. The private company is free to add to its revenue by sale of treated water to industry, composting, etc.

Alandur is an excellent example of the politics of empowerment. It is a welcome and refreshing change from the all pervasive politics of entitlement. Mr Bharathi, the dynamic mayor who was the father of the project proclaimed proudly to us, “where people are involved, politicians cannot harm the project”. The Alandur project was initiated in the DMK political regime and was commissioned by the CM, Tamil Nadu in the AIADMK regime. The project won a National Urban

Water Award in 2008. Today, 54 of the 148 municipalities in Tamil Nadu are trying to emulate this model. Alandur has shown how we can and why we must respond to the atrocious state of sanitation across the cities of India.
:applause:

seku

June 29th, 2010, 09:01 PM

Paste the link if you have a proof...i don't find anything anywhere whatever u have mentioned.

^^ http://www.mydigitalfc.com/news/swensen-chalks-out-india-plan-692

upto 50 outlets in next five years...so der will be many more cities ....

R2IChennai

June 29th, 2010, 09:07 PM

^^ http://www.mydigitalfc.com/news/swensen-chalks-out-india-plan-692

upto 50 outlets in next five years...so der will be many more cities ....

Whats the big deal with swenson (never heard of them) Its not facebook development center or some Jimmy Choo or Coach outlet

Kewl Batty

June 29th, 2010, 09:09 PM

^^ only 54 out of 148 tryin to emulate? what are the other municipalities doing?

satchitananda

June 29th, 2010, 09:16 PM

^^ only 54 out of 148 tryin to emulate? what are the other municipalities doing?

Wondering if it is a good model to emulate ??:ohno:

seku

June 29th, 2010, 09:16 PM

Whats the big deal with swenson (never heard of them) Its not facebook development center or some Jimmy Choo or Coach outlet

dats true, not a big deal :lol: but yet another place for facebook kinda dev center ppl to booze around n spend..:nuts:

satchitananda

June 29th, 2010, 09:25 PM

SOURCE: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article492362.ece (http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article492362.ece)

http://yfrog.com/3m30thperambur136382fj

The Chennai Corporation is planning to install a musical fountain, the first of its kind by the civic body, at the upcoming park on the northern side of the Perambur flyover.

The work is expected to be completed by the end of next month, according to Corporation officials. Tenders for the fountain would be called next week.

The estimated cost of the facility will be Rs.25 lakh.

Water from the fountain would appear as if it is dancing to recorded music. Coloured lights would be used to light up the jets.

However, no separate enclosure or seating arrangements is being created around the fountain.

Work on the park, which is being undertaken at a cost of Rs.30 lakh, is expected to get over simultaneously.

The facilities in the park, on about 50 grounds of land, include a 400-metre-long walking track, yoga stage, lawns, seating arrangements and children's play area.

Another park, on the southern side, has already been completed with play area for children, seating arrangements and lawns and attracts over 5,000 visitors daily.

Residents have welcomed the Corporation's decision to develop parks as there are no such facilities in the area. R.Umapathy, a resident, said some kind of system must be introduced for parking vehicles. Separate bays need to be earmarked for motorbikes and four-wheelers.

Additional policing was needed near the park to prevent anti-social elements from misusing the facility at night.

--------------------------------

Anne idhellam sari.. fountainukku thanni enge..

A good move for NORTH MADRAS... yikes.. CHENNAI :applause:

ChennaiIndian

June 29th, 2010, 10:08 PM

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/chlorine-city-water-goes-above-safety-mark-077

June 29: The Metro Water Board and Chennai Corporation have appalled health experts by deciding to increase chlorination levels in public water supply to 10 ppm, which is 6 ppm more than the safe limit prescribed by the Central Public Health Organisation.

This knee-jerk reaction of the civic bodies to the recent outbreak of diarrhoea in many areas may end up being a cure that is worse than the disease. Experts point out that an increase in residual chlorination (RC) levels may cause serious health risks such as stomach disorder and related complications.

...

ChennaiIndian

June 29th, 2010, 10:09 PM

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/outlet-vs-residents-leads-roadblock-065

June 29: The ongoing conflict between local residents and owners of Saravana Stores over parking of vehicles on the congested Madley Road in T Nagar took an ugly turn on Tuesday after local businessman and educationist Leo Muthu blocked the road with his van in the morning.

Citing a directive issued by the Madras high court in 2006, Mr Muthu and his associates parked a van across Madley Road outside Saravana Stores and demanded that the owners meet him and the other residents to settle the dispute and follow the court order in future.

“We have several times in the past asked the Saravana owners to park their heavy vehicles inside their building premises for loading and unloading. But no action has been taken so far. I will block the road until there is some solution to the problem,” Mr Muthu told police officers who arrived at the spot to persuade him to move the vehicle.

...

ChennaiIndian

June 29th, 2010, 10:09 PM

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/civic-body-yet-walk-talk-012

June 29: Chennai mayor Ma. Subramaniam recently led a campaign before TV cameras getting his men pull down nameboards of business establishments that did not have Tamil prominently used. But a popular hotel just across his liveried chamber in Ripon Building sports a bright neon signboard that has its name displayed in English; in fact, there is more of English than Tamil even in the name displays on the corporation headquarters.

Take a few steps towards the sprawling Central station and you will find an ATM of a prominent bank, clinging to the busy subway, which announces its existence in English. In fact, even the Central station is happy to sport more of English while introducing itself to the thousands of passengers crowding its platforms — a habit that’s over a century old.

...

bonoslack7

June 29th, 2010, 10:57 PM

Swensen will be opening its outlet in Delhi too...so its not ONLY expanding in South India

Paste the link if you have a proof...i don't find anything anywhere whatever u have mentioned.

sigh....here you go

http://www.indiaretailing.com/news.aspx?topic=1&Id=4817

http://news.franchiseindia.com/franchise/Swensen-s-planning-south-India-expansion-2064/

chennaidesi

June 29th, 2010, 11:56 PM

And I don’t think the revenue from "Tourism" for TN is not comparable to that of Kerala. Tourism is one of the main revenue earners of Kerala GDP, Rs.13,130 crore being the total revenue for 2008.

TN tourism dept revenues is around 80 crores whereas Kerala tourism development corporation revenue is around 40 crores.

Kerala foreign exchange earnings is around 3000 crores in 2007 whereas for TN it is more than 5300 crores.

The 13,000 crore is total direct and indirect revenue of Kerala tourism and since TN foreign exchange earnings are almost twice that of kerala and also TN has more than 100 million domestic visitors almost 10 times that of kerala its tourism direct and indirect revenue will be atleast 2 to 3 times that of kerala.

http://www.keralaplanningboard.org/html/eco_2009/2009_ch_9.pdf

http://sriramv.wordpress.com/2008/06/27/tns-tourism-revenue-peaks-but-what-about-chennai/

R2IChennai

June 30th, 2010, 05:59 AM

I have been hearing all complaints and bad news, thought i will post somehting interesting
All the perception of Chennai were against chennai but Chennai was rated 3rd after Gurgaon and Chandigarh for living (ofcourse did not say only for tamils :))
1 year old report but i somehow missed it in this
http://businesstoday.intoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11654&Itemid=1&issueid=59&sectionid=22&page=archieve&limit=1&limitstart=2
3rd RANK:

Chennai
Best of both worlds

Southern surprise: Chennai ousts both Bangalore and Hyderabad in Life After Work rankings
If Mumbai can be likened to a vacuous diva, and Delhi an aggressive businessman, Chennai is probably an industrious IIT aspirant with thick-rimmed glasses and a passion for quizzes. So, it’s not surprising that this low-key, high-performing city attracted Rs 26,000 crore in investments in the last three years. Big names such as Renault, Nissan, BMW, Diamler, Ford, Hyundai, and Nokia have made Chennai their home. “Chennai’s biggest strength is its mature ecosystem for manufacturing which also happens to be very cost competitive,” says M. Velmurugan, Vice-Chairman, Tamil Nadu Industrial Guidance Bureau.
However, Chennai is not just all work and no play. Its youth can often be found drinking beer on Elliot’s beach and rocking out to cult classics from Jethro Tull or Uriah Heep. While Chennai ranks 6th on our Life at Work Index, it comes in 3rd in our Life After Work category. Says Ranjini Manian, Founder-CEO, Global Adjustments—a firm involved in relocating expatriates to India. “In the 14 years that I have been involved helping expatriates, the common refrain I hear is that warmth of people in hennai is overwhelming.”

Chennai is also #1 on our education list and “has some of the best schools in the country,” adds Manian.

Life at work (Rank 6)
Per capita income: Rs 87,446 p.a. (8th highest)
Employment growth rate: 6% (5th highest)
Credit growth rate: 16%
Number of ATMs: 469 (4th highest)

After work (Rank 2)
Ranked first in education on our list literacy rate: 92%
42% have income between Rs 3 and 10 lakh (4th highest)
However, only 62% own a house (3rd lowest)

Raji7373

June 30th, 2010, 11:17 AM

This not a latest news.....little old one, tot it would be apt to post it here..

The idea of a special economic zone is perhaps more than 100 years old in the region. The East India Company was the first to come up with a plan to create an enclave that offered a 30-year tax exemption for those who settled near Fort St George and traded with them. Today, the state offers similar benefits inside SEZs — tax breaks, quick clearance of paperwork, infrastructure facilities, with the idea of attracting both investors and
working populations. Chennai’s demographics have reflected the fact that people always move where the work is.

“Till 1975, people migrated from the other southern states to Chennai primarily in search of work in mineral-based industries,” says DLF executive vice-president K K Raman. But with the emergence of the knowledge sector post 1991, a number of large players in the telecom, software and banking sectors have set up offices here.

Although the 2001 census put the city’s population at 42.16 lakh, the agglomeration that has developed around Chennai is estimated to be nearly twice that. Roughly 25% of the country’s 18 lakh IT workforce is located in Chennai and the city earns about Rs 36,000 crore annually through software exports. “Of late, north Indians have started moving to Chennai for core industrial jobs, especially in the auto sector,” says Raman.

To read full article click here (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Migration-to-Chennai-follows-industrial-growth-but-quality-of-life/articleshow/5798687.cms)

Sathisht77

June 30th, 2010, 03:53 PM

I found this website where expats (mostly consulate workers) write about the cities they live in or lived in. I found this very interesting to see how real westerners take to major Indian cities.
In fact, there are reviews about their life in cities of all countries in the world. Very interesting to read when you have some free time

http://www.talesmag.com/rprweb/home.shtml

vs007

June 30th, 2010, 04:44 PM

look at traffic in Chennai. I can see so much wire on median.:bash: courtesy Frank

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4748618210_d21d7c0754_b.jpg

Plus the sand and the obstructions on the road including the grill speed blocker by the cops.

vs007

June 30th, 2010, 04:45 PM

Sathisht77

June 30th, 2010, 04:50 PM

Good things about Chennai or the usual gripe of weather? Dont want to waste my time on such remarks anymore.

Just random views from general life mostly good and interesting...It is an interesting site where you can read about all kinds of cities in the world. It gives a great picture about a distant city like Buenes Aires for example ..

bonoslack7

June 30th, 2010, 05:23 PM

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/transforming-sanitation-scenarios-in-cities/640261/0

Until 10 years ago, Alandur, a residential suburb of Chennai in the Kanchipuram district, famous for its ancient temples, had no underground sewerage. As in 80 per cent of the metropolitan area outside the city of Chennai, most households depended on septic tanks with soak pits.

The urban landscape of Alandur has been transformed with an infrastructure project which has provided comprehensive underground sewerage network and a sewage treatment plant. Provision has also been made for community toilets on municipal land. This has been accomplished over a period of five years from 2000 to 2005 by empowering the residents of Alandur to take responsibility for finding a solution within the framework of a public-private partnership and become stakeholders in the success of the partnership.

The dynamic leadership of a directly elected mayor of Alandur in the late 1990s and the supportive role played by the municipal commissioner enthused the people of the town so much that they were willing to put their own deposits with the municipality to ensure that the project is adequately funded and effectively implemented. The government of Tamil Nadu provided an enabling environment in which the promises could be kept. For example, the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act 1998 facilitated the process of financing and cost recovery.

The result of these efforts was visible to us as we drove through the streets of Alandur. Covering an area of a little over 4800 acres, the town today has a population of 1.5 lakh which has basic sanitation facilities expected of a middle class town. With its proximity to the airport, and progress on the metro rail linking the town to Chennai, Alandur is clearly on the move. Not surprisingly, land value has escalated beyond imagination. Price of one ground (2400 sq. ft.) of land which was Rs 3-4 lakh in 1996, increased to Rs 50-60 lakh in 2003, and is now close to Rs 1 crore.

Providing water and sanitation to the metropolitan region of Chennai had all along been the responsibility of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board. The municipality of Alandur decided to take charge in the late 1990s. It all began with a perceived urgent need for sanitation by the then mayor of Alandur, R.S. Bharathi. A major campaign was launched to create awareness on the importance of sanitation and mobilise public support for the project. From distribution of leaflets in English and Tamil and using newspapers and local cable networks on TV to meetings with NGOs and election-style campaigning by councilors and officials, no stone was left unturned to get the message across.

The transparency of the process was crucial in inspiring confidence among the residents. Resident Welfare Associations organised the collection drive for deposits (varying from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 depending on ability to pay) from the public. The separate bank account was monitored by a special committee with the municipal commissioner as chairman and representatives from the three registered local resident welfare associations as members, and its status made public every month. People without bank accounts could deposit cash with the treasury. A special installment scheme was arranged for those who could not pay at one go. A large number of slum dwellers opted to pay for connection to the sewerage network.

The original target of raising Rs 3.4 crore was far exceeded to yield a collection of Rs 12.4 crore. Another Rs 2.5 crore was earned through interest on depositing the funds with the Tamil Nadu Power Finance Corporation thanks to an exemption by a flexible state government from placing the funds with a public sector bank where the interest rate was much lower (differential of 5 per cent).

A willingness to pay survey of the residents of Alandur was conducted in 1997 by TNUIFSL, a private finance company, which was designated the nodal agency and was responsible for structuring the project, arranging feasibility studies, formulating the contract and arranging the finances. The survey covered a representative sample of households in Alandur whose average monthly income ranged between Rs 1000 and Rs 5000.

The tariff regime was designed taking account of the survey findings. It had an element of cross-subsidy built into it. Most residents fall within the category of property area between 500 and 1500 sq. ft. and pay Rs 80 per month. No user charges were collected in the first year. In 2009-10, the collection amounted to Rs. 3.4 crore and the municipality generated a surplus.

The project was expected to cost Rs. 34 crore and the financing was arranged such that half the amount would come from the Government of India’s Megacity program (a precursor to the JNNRUM) as a loan at an interest rate of 5 per cent and Rs 1 crore as grant. A significant part of the rest, i.e. Rs. 13.6 crore was to come from the World Bank intermediated through TNUIFSL at an interest rate of 16 percent, and a small part (Rs. 3.4 crore) was to be funded by residents’ deposits. In the event, the residents contributed Rs. 11.85 crore and only Rs. 3 crore was drawn from the World Bank/TNUIFSL.

Consulting Engineering Services (India) were appointed the project management consultants. The project involved the construction of a sewer line covering the entire road length of 137 km, a pump house, 5650 manholes and 23,700 house service connections. The network construction contract was awarded to IVRCL, a private infrastructure company now listed on the NSE and BSE. The company made a 15 per cent return on the construction of the sewerage network.

A global tender for a sewage treatment plant of 12 mld capacity on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis with a 14 year concession period was also won by IVRCL. The cost of the sewerage treatment plant (Rs. 7 crore) was borne by the private party. The municipality provided 0.5 hectares of land for the plant and the pumping station. The payment stipulated that the higher the quantity of sewage received at the treatment plant the lower the unit rate. The private company shall also construct another 12 mld sewage treatment plant to meet the town’s growing requirements till 2030 by when the population is expected to double. As risk mitigation, a state government guarantee was provided through TNUIFSL to the contractor. The private company is free to add to its revenue by sale of treated water to industry, composting etc.

Alandur is an excellent example of the politics of empowerment. It is a welcome and refreshing change from the all pervasive politics of entitlement. Bharathi, the dynamic mayor who was the father of the project proclaimed proudly to us, ‘where people are involved, politicians cannot harm the project’. The Alandur project was initiated in the DMK political regime and was commissioned by the chief minister, Tamil Nadu in the AIADMK regime. The project won a National Urban Water Award in 2008.

Today, 54 of the 148 municipalities in Tamil Nadu are trying to emulate this model.

Alandur has shown how we can and why we must respond to the atrocious state of sanitation across the cities of India.

Dr. Isher Judge Ahluwalia is the Chairperson of ICRIER and Chair of the High Powered Expert Committee on Urban Infrastructure. Ranesh Nair is a Consultant to the Committee. Views are personal.

chennaidesi

June 30th, 2010, 08:32 PM

Very good Labour report along with ranking of Indian states.
TN position not good.

http://www.indicus.net/Media/index.php/mediahome/1575-india-labour-report-2009

bonoslack7

July 1st, 2010, 08:34 AM

Touted to be Chennai’s first Greek specialty restaurant

Tuscana Kryptos Restaurants Pvt Ltd, which operates speciality fine dine restaurants in Chennai is currently in the process of launching ‘Kryptos by Willi’, a Greek and Cyprus cuisine F&B concept at KNK Road in Chennai. Kryptos is slated to be launched by end July 2010. Likewise, a branch of Tuscana Pizzeria is also on the anvil on Chamiers Road, Chennai and is expected to open by September 2010. The company has invested Rs 15 crore in its restaurant business so far.

Kryptos by Willi will serve contemporary Greek and Cyprus cuisine. The restaurant is located in a basement and will have 70 covers with an average per cover (APC) of Rs 600 (excluding alcohol). The second outlet of Tuscana Pizzeria christened ‘Tuscana at Chamiers by Willi’ will have 150 covers and will serve a mix of Italian and Greek food.

Vipin Sachdev, Managing Director, Tuscana Kryptos Restaurants Pvt Ltd said, “We remain focussed on opening company owned-operated outlets and this will continue to be our strategy going forward. The brand is not likely to be franchised. However, we are open to the idea of management contracts.”

Tuscana Kryptos currently operates a Tuscana Pizzeria at Wallace Gardens in Chennai, in addition to eight Fresco Gelato outlets managed under the firm Pink Papaya Foods Pvt Ltd. Sachdev also heads the restaurant management firm ‘Burgundy Restaurants’ with three distinct brands – Burgundy’s (all day dining), Jade Wok (Chinese speciality) and BBar (lounge bar). The first three of these outlets will be commissioned in the Ascott Somerset, MRC Nagar, Chennai by October 2010.