Latest in Auto

Autos in chennai are nowadays seen with the Paytm sticker pasted behind the driver's seat. The sticker informs the customer that the trip fare can be paid through Paytm.

The driver/owner can withdraw the money form his bank.Really, the city keeps updated with the latest in the market .

Poor amenities at Moffusil Bus halts

The passengers are put to lot of hardships owing to the poor monitoring and control by the Officials of the Concerned departments of the State Govt.  

Especially, the women travellers find great difficulty to relieve their natural calls at the places where the buses of public and private fleet operators make halt.

There are no proper lavatories or water and rest facilities are provided in many of the places where these buses make halt.

Moreover, the bus crews halt the buses at their whims and convenience to get free food and tips from the shops and eateries run at these stop-overs.

The Government boasts of the state as the No.1 tourist destination in India but the above shortcomings reflect the pathetic situation of travellers amenities.

Cheap leaders and publicity

LPoster and Banner culture has reached the peak and idiotic level in Chennai city. Recently, digital banner and posters were seen in one area. The banners welcomed  a less popular but communal party leader to the puberty ceremony in one of the families.

The money collected din the name of party, we understand from the reliable source, is being lavishly spent for the personal care and cheap publicity. 

In another case, the poster announced the presence of one leader for the meeting organised to console the death of a small time poilitician in the locality.

Dust everywhere

The poor and delayed planning and execution of many  projects like Metro, elevated corridor, new drainage systems, frequent digging up of the same place and roads have led to the unhealthy environment and living conditions in Chennai city.

Will the Cheif Minister rein in the concerned departments to rectify the above situation of pollution and poor infrastructure ?

Another instance of Poor Administration

Here a clip of the News in today's Times of India paper is presented to understand the gross negligence and failure of Chennai corporation and the apathy of State government machinery.

Besides the above, the authorities collect Property tax and Water tax ( though no water is supplied), but they say the area  is unapproved.

The situation is very common in many parts of the city due to the incompetence and lack of supervision of the officials working in the concerned departments .

Multiplexes cheat the public

Cinemas in the Multiplexes of Chennai city are fleecing the general public by having the condition that no outside food will be allowed inside their premises.

However, they charge exorbitant rates for the food sold in the outlets run by them.

A half-litre bottle of water is charged Rs. 30/- and the Popcorn priced at Rs. 150/- whatever be the special in them!

The pricing of food articles and soft drinks has no logic except the sole aim of making huge profit. In fact, it is like robbery in the day time with the consent of movie goers.

Why the civic authority of Chennai is not taking action to rein in such fleecing?

Impact of Cellphone

Enjoy the lighter side of life

Courtesy: TOI

Unclean City buses

Many of the buses plying on Chennai city roads are dirty and damaged  without any cleaning and maintenance for a long time.

Many buses have broken seats and window glasses, protruding rods and unwelded wind shields and leaking roofs.

Why this apathy of the MTC Management ? Is their shortage of manpower or lack of supervison and control by the officials?

Helmets have many uses

Helmets have many uses as

- Protects the head from any injury in the event of an accident

- Serves as a shield against the rain, dust   Flying insects, hurled-stones, and pollution, and 

- Can be used to carry small articles in an emergency. 

To avoid the sweating, keep removing it at intervals at the traffic signals, and when using cell phones.

The most important is the 

Encroachments on the City roads

TThe civic administration does its best to lay new roads with raised platforms for walkers. However, the mindless and disobedient citizens keep encroaching them by spreading their shops, parking the vehicles and constructing platform temples. Add to these, the misuse of the public space by the shops to pile their stocks such as building materials, tyres, etc and to display their wares and materials for sale.

The encroachments on NSC Bose road, Broadway and Usman road, TNagar are glaring examples for rampant illegal occupying the public places.

Why the law enforcers don't take stern action such gross misconducts and violations of civic rules?

Famous Railway Junction stinks

Egmore railway station, once considered the model of southern Indian railways, has become a bad place now.

Recently, I landed here to board a train at 11 pm, by to my utter shock I found there was no announcement or display of the departure of any of the trains at the eastern entrance of the station.

Moreover, the platforms 5&6 were in total darkness with no vendors to provide the water or snacks. 

Added to these woes was  the nauseating smell of the human excreta in these platforms.

Why this gross negligence and mishandling of the station?

Will the authorities take action to restore the good name of yore?

Uncaring administration

We find that unused and abandoned vehicles are parked on the sides of many raids in Chennai city. These vehicles remain there for years together as no road repair or relaying is done by the local administrators. 

While the temporarily parked cehickes are towed away by the traffic dept, those stationed for a long period are not disturbed.

The reasons for such duality in administration are best known to the concerned administrators only.

Here the photo shows such unattended vehicles near the Ambedkar ground of Mogappair East.

Will the authorities do the needful? At least now.

Indifferent Administration

Recently, We went to  Hogenakkal to enjoy the beautiful waterfalls and the sylvian surroundings.
It was a Sunday, so naturally there was heavy rush to take bath in the falls which were in full flow.
However, we found the following glaring lacunae in the maintenance and management of the place by the authorities concerned though a good parking facility is provided.

- Garbage like clothes, plastic bags, paper and other wastes including the fish remnants was found lying in many parts of the area and in the water of the river.
- People were found cleaning and washing the fishes for their sale in the hotels.
- no good accommodation or hotel is available for the tourists.

- Only one bathing facility is provided which is inadequate as many people were made to wait for their turn. To add insult to the injury, the tourists are asked to bathe for 5 minutes only. Why don't the authorities provide more bathing space when there are many falls nearby?

- the fare charged for the boat ( Parisal) travel is exorbitant without any basis. Rs.750/- is levied for  each boat(Parisal) for 4 persons (maximum).

Diet breakfast

A hotel in Salem provides the diet breakfast for those suffering from sugar problem.

 Why don't hotels in other places follow this so that their customers can benefit?

Koyambedu Market

The concept of the exclusive complexes for selling of fruits, flowers and vegetables is excellent. 

However, the following deficiencies are found.

- no maintenance seems to take place regularly to repair and renovate the buildings and other installations

- Cleaning of the wastes is lacking.    garbage and debris of decayed flowers and other vegetable parts are flound dumped in many places

- the shopkeepers have reduced the walking space for the visitors by pushing their shops from their allotted  area and encroaching the passage .

- no trees or green cover planted in the plenty of open space around the complex.

- the roads and pavements inside the market are in poor damaged condition.

The shop keepers need to be educated about the need for discipline in confning their shop to the allotted space and for cleanliness.  

Why shortage of coins in City buses?

It's a common sight and everyday incident in the Chennai city buses that many of us experience.

The moment the passengers board, many of the conductors insist for getting the ticket by passing the money from one end to the other. Because the conductor does not move from his seat due to the crowd or laziness.

The moment the cash reaches his hands, he would demand the exact change to issue the ticket.

The puzzle is ; most of the conductors do have plenty of coins in their bags but deliberately not using them but demand change from each and every commuter.

Why these conductors behave like this? 

Is there any service condition by MTC that each person should bring a specific quantity of coins?

Or do these people earn commission by selling the coins to the businesses like Hotels, Shops, etc. 

Above all, it seems the MTC management ( whether it exists, i wonder) is least bothered about this allowing it like many other irregularities

Shops under the City Fly overs

Fly-overs are meant for smooth movement of traffic and for decongesting the important roads. However, we find that the space under and the pavements near the fly-overs are enrcoached by the hawkers. 

Especially, the Usman road bridge wears a very crowded and congested look always due to the make-shift shops on the platforms all along the bridge up to Pothy's. 

It's highly dangerous that if by accident( like the bus overturning on the Anna fly-over), any vehicle loses control and falls on the side of the bridge, the fatality

will be heavy.

Why the concerned authorities Not caring, foreseeing, and taking steps to vacate these enrichments to safer place?

Any prudent administration will avoid such mishaps and human losses. 

Attention: Computer Users

Are you feeling irritation and tears from the eyes? This might be from the strain on your eyes after the continuous staring at your computer. Your eyes get dried up due to the radiation and fixed gaze at the monitor. This condition of eyes is called Computer vision syndrome. 

Ophthalmologists recommend to avoid seeing the monitor continuously, take a break of 30 seconds and after that look at some distant objects or take a short walk. 

Stagger your computer sessions to get more relief from the strain of seeing the computer. Blinking without keeping the eyes fixed on the computer screen is advisable to avoid the syndrome.

Humanitarian act

Let's appreciate the good work of Staff of an ambulance. See the paper clipping of TOI

Cost of Smoking

Smokers pay to kill their selves at a heavy price. See the paper clipping.

Whose Marriage it is...

Banner culture is at its peak in Chennai. For anything and everything, banners and posters put up. However, people getting married show their pet cine stars in big size in their banners. On many occasions, people get doubt as who is getting wedlocks

Towing of Vehicles...

Often we find the Department tows away the vehicles temporarily and safely parked on the roadside. However, the vehicles stationed for months together on the road and in the interior parts of the city are left untouched by the Traffic police. These vehicles not only encroach the limited space on the road but create traffic jam.  It seems there is No proper system in vogue in this regard and supervision by the Chiefs is lacking

🚚🚍🚘🚌

Smart city...OK but

The initiative for making smart cities is welcome by all. However, unless the basic mentality of the people changes, any measure towards cleanliness, convenience and comfort will go in vain.

Spitting, urinating, smoking  in the public areas are very common in Chennai.

Throwing the garbage in the buses, trains and other public places has become a habit of the other-wise civilised citizens.

Parking the vehicles without minding the inconvenience to others has become the order of the day.

Chennaities are clever in copying the western habits like cell phone, smoking, drinking, etc BUT never copy the good manners and discipline of foreigners .

Why the chennai people are adamant not to have good things in their lives And remain selfish without much civic sense!

How To Manage The heat of Summer

Torrid climate is a regular thing in summer. To stay fit and healthy follow these tips.

- avoid going out between 10 am and 5pm

- need be, take an umbrella and a bottle of water to hydrate your body.
- wear sun glass to keep the eyes cool.

- consume plenty of water and fresh juices

- do not take kids with you unless necessary
- take rest under the shade while going out.

- do not drink chilled water or skirt drinks soon after a trip under the hot sun.

- freshen your face and body with water splashes.

Store the rain water of monsoon

Chennai experienced record rains in 2015, but yet facing water shortage now in May. 

The government that implemented the wonderful Rain harvesting system

For each building, can definitely draw projects for storing the excess water wasted thro run off from the rivers.

Linking of the State rivers and building the Storage structures such as achieve dams, medium sized dams with interconnecting canals and channels will definitely help in avoiding the floods and augmenting the water storage.

The above would make the entire Tamilnadu prosper paving the golden era in the history.

Bus shelter not provided

MTC has not erected the required Passengers shelters in many of the bus stops that were relocated due to the new bridges put up by HIghways Dept.. 

This is the Tirumangalam stop near Yesyes Marriage hall of Anna Nagar extn. 

The Traffic Police board shows the new stop as near Pioneer colony, but MTC administration has not bothered to provide the shelter.

As a result, the commuters are forced to wait on the road under the hot sun.

Why this apathy by the MTC Management ?

Fares gone up. But space constraint

See... How passengers travel in MTC bus of Chennai.Too small seats even for normal size people. Thanks to the good design and the innovative management!

The Chairman and Other top officials enjoy AC rides at the cost of taxes we pay, they  like any other government department ignore the place where they work...

When will these people behave responsibly to inspect the buses and workshops to improve the system?

Why the same roads and pavements are repaired repeatedly ?

Though  some roads( Kilpauk Garden road for example) and platforms  are in good shape, the Corporation relays them repeatedly for reasons best known to them. Many other roads are not even repaired( forget their relaying) for years together. 

Why this bias for one sector  by neglecting another area.

It seems there is no involvement and supervision of the elected councillors or the higher authority of the concerned department in the City Corporation which pats itself by calling as GREATER CHENNAI CORPORATION!!!

Will this inefficiency of Corporation change after the ensuing Assembly elections? 

Garbage bins ... Shame of the city

It's a common sight in Chennai that the Garbage bins encroach the road space as they are positioned precariously in the middle of any road.  Not only the traffic is affected but the spilled over garbage make the entire road very shabby and unpleasant.

Why this pathetic situation?

Is it due to the poor administration and supervision by the concerned dept of a chennai corporation or the indifferent attitude of the field staff?

Smart conductor of City bus

Some conductors of Chennai City buses are smart in their own ways. Today, I boarded a new bus at Tirumangalam, West chennai to reach anothe place of the city. The bus was issuing the tickets just by sitting in his seat and asking the people to come and collect the tickets. At first, I thought he might be having illness unable to move, so struck in the seat. During the entire 35 minutes I traveled, he never got up to dispense the tickets.

What a pity, nobody complains and questions this smart conductor!

Amma everywhere.

Amma means ' Mother' in Tamil. In the world, nobody is by self. Humans, Animals, Birds, and all other life forms originate from mother only.  It's the mother that nurtures her young ones with love and care. In Tamilnadu, Amma has become a common word after the government launched many products and services in the brand name ' Amma' to help the poor and needy.