Reg. No. TN/PMG (CCR) /814/06-08 Licence No. WPP 506/06-08 Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI R.N. 53640/91 INSIDE Short ‘N’ Snappy Mullaperiyar: Another side MADRAS The Music Academy trail Mylapore & ECR Festivals MUSINGS A century with a century Rs. 5 per copy Vol. XVI No. 18 January 1-15, 2007 (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) Super-corridor strewn with obstacles Appa, do you think the effects of (by A Staff Correspondent) global warming could make a lizard ith Information Technology all the way as far as look like a crocodile? WMadras that is Chennai is concerned, the infra- structure project that has hogged the limelight in the Watch your feet recent years is the IT Corridor to link Madhya Kailash Someone needs to set limits to Junction with Siruseri in the first phase. This 22-km Streamlined pedicabs favoured by tourists in the motto Be prepared. stretch is where many IT giants have their offices and Viet Nam. With well-dressed drivers in the rear, Consider this. many more are expected to move in. When completed, an open view in front and excellently manufac- An innocent householder is tured, these cyclos are vehicles we should be think- bowling along the lane of his it is estimated, the density of IT professionals per sq.km ing about, says the author-photographer. particular life, trying to make here will be the highest in the world, beating even the the best of things, when, Silicon Valley. In the second phase the corridor would Bham! with absolutely no extend up to Mahabalipuram. But whats happened to warning he runs into a large the project? Lets introduce beast in his home. The project, started in 2004, was estimated to cost (And no, it is not one of his Rs.84.41 crore in the first phase, which included the cost wifes relatives.) of setting up toll plazas, supervision costs and contin- pedicabs Now, the householder is prob- gencies. The core activities included conversion of the ably a very good soul, taught at his mothers knee to be stretch into a six-lane carriageway with medians and road signs. The cost of land acquisition was not included s a cultural tour guide, I life rituals around them. Being a kind to all animals. But what Afind that many foreign tourists small vehicle, it can be parked a is he to do when a great big and this was estimated at Rs. 43 crore. The Tamil Nadu Road Development Corporation like to take a cycle rickshaw ride on minute away from the tourists desti- reptile, posing under the the Marina as well as in crowded nation without causing a traffic jam. name marsh crocodile, is (TNRDC) was allowed to set up a special purpose ven- found in his bathroom? ture called the IT Expressway Limited for the develop- streets in Mylapore and George It is pollution-free. What next? ment of the corridor. The TNRDC itself is a joint ven- Town. When I accompanied Ger- The minus points are, the driver A python nestling in the soap ture between Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Ser- man groups to Madurai, I used to sits in the front, blocking the view; dish? vices Ltd (IL&FS) and the Tamil Nadu Industrial De- organise rickshaw rides for a group the drivers also tend to look emaci- This takes the fellowship-with- velopment Corporation (TIDCO). of 28 people at 10 pm to take them ated, are usually in torn clothes, and all-creatures-great-and-small The project was funded partly through a loan of Rs. from the hotel to the temple, a dis- often dirty. concept just that bit too far, tance of 2 or 3 kilometres. They used Recently I was in Viet Nam, besides being totally unfair. 50.41 crore and partly by contributions from the State Government of Rs. 21.50 crore and the Ministry of to enjoy the ride. where I saw a slylised version of rick- After all, the bathroom is the shaws which impressed me a lot. I only place left which provides Commerce (Govt. of India) of Rs. 12.5 crore. The last- In Srirangam, as the coaches are some peace and quiet and named came under the Assistance to States for Infra- stopped before the main gopuram, used one wherever I travelled in Viet escape. structure Development for Exports (ASIDE) scheme the tourists are taken in rickshaws in Nam. It is called a Cyclo or a Unfortunately, a fresh bogey with the proviso that this amount was to be returned to the narrow streets, avoiding the Pedicab. has now been pencilled into the Government or set up later as an IT Corridor fund. menace of shopkeepers and beggars. It is open in the front, like ours, the minds of sorely-tried citi- A high-powered committee comprising the Tamil This gives them a chance to see and but the driver sits at the back, with- zens. photograph the daily life of the out blocking his passengers view. The authorities concerned, dis- Nadu Development Commissioner, Finance Secretary, Commissioner, Land Administration, Secretaries of the people. The whole cyclo is made of stainless playing an admirably single- steel, has clean seats and is run by a Highways and the Industries Departments, and the Indeed, rickshaws have an advan- minded viewpoint, appar- smiling driver. ently checked the young fel- CEO of TNRDC, was set up to monitor the progress. tage over other modes of transport. I suggest that we adopt this low and pronounced him Bids were invited for the execution and a Malaysian firm They are cheaper, yet provide a liv- pedicab. It can be altered to suit our healthy and blessed with was selected. Work was to commence in April 2004. ing for the poor rickshaw drivers. needs. This can be introduced in powerful jaws. Among the important features of the corridor was They can wend their way through Mylapore, Kancheepuram, Parrys How sweet! the introduction of an exclusive lane for non-motorised narrow streets. They are open in What about the health of the and Mahabalipuram on a trial basis. vehicles, which would provide for slow-moving and front (unlike cars) and the tourists poor householder who has stalled vehicles, thereby ensuring free flow of traffic. probably lost several lifetimes can take videos or photos of the daily K.N. Anandhi Another highlight was a Partnership and Development in the shock suffered, and has However, despite all this fanfare and hype, the project, like all Govern- now become even more wary Agreement with infrastructure and service agencies that the road would be free from digging and damage for 30 ment activities, got off to a slow start. There was great delay in land acquisi- and distrustful of life in gen- tion and still greater delay in shifting the utilities. The contractor had diffi- eral, and his environment in years. A service duct or corridor was to be laid along the particular? entire stretch to ensure that all utilities could be ac- culty in mobilising resources, which resulted in further stretching of the And Fate wonders why we treat cessed without hindrance to traffic. The shifting of utili- timeline. her with a certain coolness ties and the construction of the service trench, which Acquisition of litigation-free land was the first hurdle and resulted in the and distance! cost Rs. 56 crore, was borne by the telecom companies commencement of the project being shifted to January 1, 2005. The TNRDC Ranjitha Ashok and the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board. (Continued on page 7) CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS January 1-15,2007 A different Cinematic worries view of he lot of a cinema owner is least he hopes that by land ad- the parking lot was full. This Tseldom a happy one. Apart jacent to the Park, the au- resulted in needless chaos. from the uncertainties of a thorities are not indulging in This year, the Academy films success, people in the some legal speak and actually has brought in a valet parking movie hall business have had to planning to acquire some part service with professionals Mullaperiyar contend with channel televi- of the park itself. handling the matter. The ser- sion, video tape and CD piracy Apparently, there is a simi- vice is courteous, and surplus and also the vagaries of taxa- lar proposal pending on devel- cars do not aggrandise the hree score and ten is the Biblical lifespan of human beings. tion, which changes from bud- oping the Adyar bus terminus surrounding roads but are TIn Gods own country that is Kerala, politicians have given get to budget, government to as well. What shocked The parked in the St. Ebbas com- government. Add to this the Man from Madras Musings is pound by the valets. How- its dams also a lifespan of 70 years. The Mullaperiyar gravity dam vandals who tear up seats just that the Metropolitan Trans- ever, who can train our pa- on the Periyar built in 1895 by Madras Presidency Chief Engineer for the fun of it. No wonder port Corporation (MTC) is ap- trons and public into observ- Col. J. Pennycuick on land leased to Madras Province by the Ma- many owners switch to real es- parently reluctant to comply, as ing some minimum disci- haraja of the erstwhile State of Travancore for 999 years, which is tate. The recent decision of the it hopes to develop the property pline? MMM was amused to as good as perpetual lease, is 111 years old. State Government to restrict into an IT park! Is there no re- observe the way patrons the price of tickets has The striction on who or what can rushed to the valets after a Considered at that time as the most extraordinary engineering Man from Madras Musings develop into an IT park? Does concert last week and de- feat ever performed, the dam had changed the course of the river wondering if the move to real everybody have to get on to the manded their keys all at once.