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Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/15-17 Registrar of Newspapers Licenced to post without prepayment for India under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-506/15-17 Publication: 15th & 28th of every month Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI INSIDE • Short ‘N’ Snappy • A fascinating will • Growth overrun cemetery • Displaying Tamil culture • Flights of fancy Vol. XXVII No. 1 MUSINGS April 16-30, 2017 How many more cracks, CMRL? hennai Metro Rail Limited C(CMRL), which had thus far restricted its depredations to heritage structures, extended its scope recently to include a part of Mount Road. Even as a bus with 35 passengers in it and a car were driving side by side, the road beneath them caved in. It was a good thing that the sub- sidence happened on a Sunday afternoon when traffic was light. More importantly, the passengers in the bus and the car driver had time to clamber out to safety. But the episode has once again brought to light the question that refuses to go How we treat heritage! away – how much does CMRL G Our two pictures focus on two historical structures and reflect how we treat such relics of history. On the left is the Dr. James Anderson tomb in the St. Mary’s Cemetery on the Island. This tomb today sports trees growing for it. Some may G by A Special say that’s appropriate for Anderson was the first of those Madras medico-botanists who pioneered the study of flora in India and established what could well be Correspondent considered the first botanical gardens in the country (see page 4). The second picture is of the Salt Bungalow in Ennore Creek, where rowing and sailing as a sport were born in Madras. This house, occupied by the Excise care about safety when it goes Inspector as home and office (it also commemorates the salt pans in the area), about its work? was often used by spectators during regattas to watch the action. As in all the cases of cracks The Madras Boat Club plans to shortly row down memory lane at Ennore in heritage structures, the sink- Creek where the Club had its beginnings many years before its official function- ing 150 years ago, in 1867. The Salt Bungalow may well again host spectators ing of Mount Road too was dis- watching the action. missed as a minor matter by those who are laying our under- ground transport facility. All the safety precautions are in place, they say, and the problem has occurred owing to a sudden Fair fares? Not for filling trains change in soil characteristics, which can escape attention de- spite the best possible assess- he likely fare structure for (By Our Business Correspondent) yet to acquire respectability and ment. At least that is the offi- Tthe 45 km Phase I of the acceptability. It should be pro- cial view. However, it is quite metro project has been indi- fixed expenses as feasible – it is salutary effect on health and moted. Wasteful use of private reliably learnt that initial stud- cated. The base fare is said to possible, and even probable, absenteeism, savings in road transport – just one person trav- ies had predicted that many ar- be Rs. 10-70 for the 45 km that low fares and large rev- upkeep costs, conservation of elling to work by personal car – eas of our city would be prone stretch compared to Rs. 10-30 enues would meet investment forex on reduced fuel usage, needs to change. In Jakarta, for to subsidence and this included for 213 km in Delhi. Size of in- considerations. timeliness, punctuality at work, instance, during peak hours, us- locations in the proximity of vestment is quoted as justifica- The Metro in Mexico City and so on. Many of these ben- age of main arterial roads is al- some of our heritage structures. tion for the proposed high fares. was, at one time, priced so low efits are reflected in financial lowed in select sections only if Work went ahead nevertheless, High fares could confront that what was paid was useful savings to the public authority the car has a minimum of three chiefly because it was felt that user resistance and consequent more to count usage – it en- in the medium- and long-term passengers. The Metro is one such occurrences (including the low utilisation of the rolling couraged mass usage. Going be- and cannot be ignored in any component of the transporta- possibility of a collapse) are stock asset, defeating the very yond considerations of financial viability assessment. Limited fi- tion system. Attractive pricing small sacrifices to be made in purpose of fixing rates high. In viability, public utility projects nancial analysis is for individu- and integration of Metro sta- the larger interest of affordable fact, the trick lies in going for of this kind elsewhere in the als and firms, but looking at in- tions with feeder services with public transportation. Afford- high volume usage and full or world are assessed for direct and longer term, but nev- common ticketing are necessary able, did someone say? (see near-full utilisation of the asset economic, social and environ- ertheless tangible, benefits, is for the Metro to make a visible alongside.) to generate large aggregate rev- mental benefits they yield in the for public authorities. impact on Chennai’s traffic en- enue that could cover variable form of relieving traffic conges- In our society, the culture of vironment and citizens’ daily (Continued on page 6) expenses and as much of the tions, reducing pollution and its travelling by public transport is lives. CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS April 16-30, 2017 A fascinating R(upee) K(eep) Nagar document where joy abounded G One of Madras’s first department stores, Oakes & Co., The Man from Madras Musings group. Let’s fight the honest founded in 1843 had its main shop, Exchange Hall, on out. Imagine being in a social has never visited RK Nagar, fight, they said. There was, gathering and the Popham’s Broadway, now Prakasam Salai. Oakes also the locality that is forever in however, a strong rumour that conversation turns to places owned, in neighbouring premises, Beehive Foundry, a the throes of an election. He a cashless man from Delhi was where people stay. The major- name that survives to this day as part of India did toy with the idea of visiting not too happy with the quan- ity give out names such as Commerce & Industries Co. P. Ltd., a business started this hotspot some days ago, but tity of cash floating around in Mylapore, Triplicane, Purasa- then along came the news that RK Nagar. This way, he feared, by Kowtha Suryanarayana Rao in 1907. Suryanarayana’s walkam, etc, then pipes up a the election had been RK Nagar could become a tax lone voice that says Baby will is a fascinating document about the devolution of cancelled and, so, MMM haven of sorts rather like those Nagar. There is a dead silence the Oakes & Co. property where Beehive Foundry still decided to do the same to his shady islands and tiny Euro- followed by hurried and loud remains in business. planned visit. pean nations. And that led to conversation even as the One of the chief reasons the RK Nagar elections being person who said Baby Nagar 1. Kowtha Suryanarayana Rao, son of Subbaryudu garu residing that MMM wanted to go to RK cancelled. slinks out into the grim at 95, Broadway, Madras declares this to be my last will and TES- Nagar was that he had come to The people of RK Nagar are outside world and from there know that the place rained happy. They get to keep their moves on to Baby Nagar. TAMENT which I make this Eleventh day of August 1960 in my cash. Apparently, the Gross rupees and, as and when the There is also the other ques- 84th year in good health and of free will. Domestic Product of this par- elections happen again, there tion, do residents of Baby 2. Nothing in this will is intended to revoke or in any wise affect ticular constituency of India will be more money. Not so Nagar refer to themselves as the Will I had previously made providing life-time maintenance has risen so sharply in one happy is the rest of the city for Infants? And is their munici- week or so that there were it never saw the colour of the pal councillor Peter Pan? and residence (1) to my eldest daughter Nagaraja Lakshmamma rumours of it soon declaring it- money and, what’s more, lost These and other questions which shall therefore continue in force. self an independent nation the one opportunity of a public of similar pith and moment 3. I most humbly make this will treading the Vedic path in si- and, if that was not feasible, holiday. jostled MMM’s brain as he lent reverie of thought of Bhagawan Sri Krishna, the ultimate Re- looking at the possibility of The hat party is, so MMM drove to Baby Nagar one electing a representative to the understands, hopping mad. evening. For those who do not ality, the Lord of the Universe, who is all Love and Beauty and US Senate. Families of, say, The electrical pole group is know, it is close to Velachery, Truth, Goodness and Joy forever, who has been in all activities of four, suddenly found them- looking for a warehouse to another locality that lots of my life my Sole Guide, Friend, Philosopher and Preceptor, whose selves earning in five figures, store the effigy and coffin.

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