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Vol. XXXIV No. 21, February 16-28, 2025
Archives: Vol. XXXIV No. 21, February 16-28, 2025
Flagging the nuisance of party flag posts
-- by Sriram V.
You can see them at every corner. In that sense they are truly democratic for they occupy valuable public space on arterial roads, streets and lanes. We allude to the political party flag posts, which are nothing short of public hazards as they block visibility at junctions. And yet they proliferate chiefly owing to a deadly combination of political clout and lack of administrative will. To add to this are High Court judgements that seem ambivalent at best and confusing at worst.
We do not intend any disrespect to the High Court of Madras but how else do you explain two seemingly contradictory judgements/directives within a week? The first, from the Madurai Bench ordered that all political party flag posts need to be removed immediately. A few days later, the new political outfit TVK requested permission for erecting a flag post in the Aminjikarai area. The High Court has asked the Corporation to consider the request. This, despite, as per newspaper reports, the civic body citing legal hurdles in granting this permission.
Such confusion is not new. In 2023 a Public Interest Litigation was filed seeking a directive for removal of political flag posts but that was dismissed on the grounds that there already exists a judgement dating to 2019 to the effect that these need to be removed anyway! Which brings us to the question of what the city administration is doing when it already has clear instructions from the Court since 2019. Why have party flag posts not been removed on that basis and why is a new party
Rs. 94 crores allocated to restore canals across the city
-- by Varsha V.
According to a recent report published in The New Indian Express, the Greater Chennai Corporation has earmarked funds to the tune of Rs. 94.34 crores to renovate neglected canals across the city. The project will cover Verangal Odai canal in Velachery, the SIDCO Industrial Estate canal, Kodungaiyur canal, Vyasarpadi canal, Mamabalam canal, Nandanam canal, Jafferkhanpet canal and Reddikuppam canal to name a few mentioned in the report. The work undertaken will include measures that mitigate flooding and prevent dumping – for instance, plans for the Verangal Odai canal
Heritage Watch: A Much-Needed Facelift for Museum Theatre
The Museum Theatre is gleaming after its latest restoration. The seats are in perfect working order, the proscenium arch looks as though it was carved yesterday, and the round corridor is a thing of beauty. We bring you a few pictures to show what heritage can look like when spruced up. Sadly, we also add a photo
Stories, Myths, and Conversations – A Study of Trees
-- by Priyanka Soman
The humid Chennai air carried the scent of jasmine and the salty breeze from the Bay of Bengal as I sat on the cool verandah steps of my grandmother’s home. She rocked gently on her wooden chair, a rhythmic creaking accompanying her words. “Every tree has a story,” she said, her voice rich with nostalgia. “Some carry
Story of a City Canvas
– by Thamayandhi R
Chennai’s vibrant street art is a gift to the city, a pretty reminder that art and beauty have their place even in a bustling urban metropolis. It is a point of wonder that these walls of art are left untouched even while other places are covered up with posters or scribbles.
Madras Musings met Mr. Sindhu Raam the founder of Care and Welfare, an NGO
