Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/12-14 Registrar of Newspapers Licenced to post without prepayment for India under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-506/12-14 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 • Bridge-building tales • Catching a wave • Growth of advertising • Of MMC & • diamonds Vol. XXIV No. 12 MUSINGS October 1-15, 2014 Window opened Madras Landmarks on heritage – 50 years ago – For Corporation engineers t long last, the city’s civic (By The Editor) are not designed to dwarf their Abody appears to have surroundings. woken up to the fact that none programme, and promised Nevertheless, one of the of its engineers is trained in support to more such training greatest failures of the HCC, heritage conservation. This wis- programmes. and therefore of the CMDA, dom, though belated, is to be While this step of the has been the inability to come commended. And it is to be Corporation is indeed a most out with a comprehensive list of hoped that will lead to correc- welcome initiative, it is to be heritage buildings in the city tion and, consequently, the hoped that the Chennai Metro- which can then be notified. presence of a trained corps that politan Development Authority Though a fresh listing is most will in future be able to take on (CMDA) and the Public Works unnecessary, given that the tasks of enumeration, evalua- Department (PWD) will follow High Court of Madras has fur- G The Madras Legislative Council set up in the 1860s continuously expanded there- tion and conservation of heri- this lead and work together nished the CMDA with what after till the 1920s. It had its meetings in the Council Chamber in Fort St. George. with INTACH-Chennai on When the Legislative Assembly came into existence following the institution of tage buildings within the city. was put together by the Justice dyarchy, it met first in 1937 at Senate House and between 1938 and 1939 at This thinking was followed similar programmes, as much of E Padmanabhan Committee on Banqueting (Rajaji) Hall. By the 1940s, a full-fledged Assembly Hall had been up with quick action when the the heritage of this city is also hoardings, the CMDA has been built inside Fort St George and so the Assembly moved into the Fort. Corporation recently had over under the control of these two insisting on preparing a list of its Independence posed a new problem – the composite Madras State, which 80 of its engineers attend a departments. The CMDA own. That it has failed despite comprised what later became Andhra, had 375 Assembly constituencies and, three-day workshop on built- holds the key to decisions on seven years having passed is so, that many legislators as well. The Assembly Hall in the Fort could not heritage conservation specially demolition of public heritage chiefly because it has no trained accommodate so many. A new Legislature building was, therefore, constructed organised by INTACH-Chen- buildings, especially those that personnel to take on this activ- in Government Estate, just behind Rajaji Hall and Government House. nai with experts from the city, stand in the way of develop- ity. It may be best that the task Completed at a cost of Rs. 10 lakh, it was inaugurated on May 2, 1952 by Delhi and Bangalore offering ment projects, through the role is entrusted to the Corpora- Governor Sri Prakasa. that could be played by its Heri- The division of States on the basis of linguistic regions saw the creation of the participants a wealth of in- tion’s Junior Engineers (JEs), Andhra Pradesh in 1953 and the number of legislators in Madras State fell to sights into both the theoretical tage Conservation Committee now that they have been 205. This could be safely accommodated in the Assembly Hall inside the Fort and practical aspects of conser- (HCC). This largely dormant through the recent heritage and so the legislature shifted back. The newly built Legislature building was re- vation, supported by site visits. body has, thankfully, controlled awareness programme. These developed as The Children’s Theatre where children’s films and documentaries These engineers, thus, had an the Metro Rail’s tendency to JEs, given that they are at- were shown at subsidised rates. It was, however, never popular. The auditorium exposure to the technical largely steamroll its way over tached to wards, will be able to received a fresh lease of life when it was refurbished as a 1000-seat theatre and knowledge necessary to save old heritage. For instance, some list what is in their localities and relaunched as Kalaivanar Arangam, named after N.S. Krishnan. buildings as well as sensitisation positive action has been taken then a comprehensive list can The theatre survived till 2008 when, as part of the magnificent obsession to on the unique architecture of by the HCC when it came to be made with the inputs re- build a new Assembly-cum-Secretariat in Government Estate, the heritage the eventual decision to protect buildings in the premises were all brought down one by one. Rajaji Hall was the the city, whatever that is left of ceived from them. sole survivor. Kalaivanar Arangam too became a casualty. That it was all to no it that is. The Mayor attended the RSRM Choultry from As for the PWD, it still con- use is now clear, what with the Assembly having shifted once again into the Fort the valedictory session, which is demolition. Similarly, the HCC trols all restoration activities in and the new building becoming a multi-speciality referral hospital. a good indicator of the impor- has also ensured that proposed Meanwhile, work has begun on building a new theatre on the spot where tance that was attached to the stations near heritage buildings (Continued on page 5) Kalaivanar Arangam once stood. City pedestrian plaza being planned f everything works well, T’ how the project shapes up in By A Special lar problems before becoming a Salai will have the standard INagar may soon have a reality. Correspondent walking/cycling only area. This four-lane carriageway and wide pedestrian plaza, a walkers’ The idea was first mooted in appears to have been the inspi- sidwalks. The cost is estimated paradise that will stretch from 2012 when experts from New high speeds was outdated, and ration for our Corporation. at Rs 83 crore and part of it is Panagal Park to Anna Salai/ York were called in to study the the need of the hour was for in- The design, which was expected to be funded from the Mount Road. In terms of problems of public transport in creased use of public transport, finalised in May this year, envis- Rs 50 crore loan that the Cor- distance it is not much, Chennai. The team comprising encourage cycling and promote ages the division of the area into poration hopes will be sanc- being just about 1.4 km, long, the Big Apple’s Transport and pedestrian facilities. The report three zones. The first, between tioned by the World Bank for a but it is significant as it is prob- Planning Commissioners was singled out T’Nagar and, while Panagal Park and Dr Nair Road, larger revamp scheme of ably the first instance when the brutally frank in its findings – recognising its high energy, said and the second between Dr T’Nagar that includes aerial authorities have recognised the the city’s waterways were pol- that it needed to be cleared of Nair Road and Residency walkways and parking lots. rights of pedestrians. However, luted beyond words and needed all traffic, making it a pedestrian Towers, will have pedestrian There are, however, dissen- from concept to implementa- to be resurrected, the concept area. It drew parallels between walkways and a dedicated bus sions within the Corporation’s tion is a long road to be trav- of designing flyovers and roads Panagal Park and Times Square lane. The last section, between elled and much depends on to facilitate car movement at of New York, which faced simi- Residency Towers and Anna (Continued on page 3) CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS October 1-15, 2014 Of culture Blue boxes of many uses he Queen (of England, suited for pasting posters. power surplus in the next two & commerce Tthat is), we are told, oper- What is worse is that, as MMM months or words to that effect. ates out of red boxes. The Man notices, these blue bins have For the sake of record, such rt and commerce are strange bedfellows. And in India during from Madras Musings wonders occupied what little there is left predictions were made and re- Athe nineties of the last century, there was a sudden awaken- as to what Indian leaders use of pedestrian space on many ceived with wide acclaim in ing. To put India on the world map of wealth and prosperity, we for their confidential docu- thoroughfares. In short, they 2012, 2013 and 2014, the last thought that we had to opt for gigantic consumerism, as in the rich ments. The Chief, MMM are among the most useless cre- one being made in May of this Western nations, especially the US, and try aping their corporate knows, works out of a small ations of our civic body. It is year when it was asserted that cultural values and norms. grey diary into which he peri- high time these are dismantled there would be no power cuts odically enters profound and the sheets put to good use, effective June 1st.