Memoir - Madras

Date: Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 12:12 AM
Memoir

Holes and more holes, being dug on the surface of the city to change its face once and for all in the form of Metro rail system and the numerous flyovers, shows us how the city is adapting and expanding, more so rapidly – recently. While the infrastructure facelift seems to be order of the day certain ideas aren’t exactly fruitful- especially some flyovers, admitting to the fact of not considering the complete makeover plan of the city for all the chips and chisels to fall in place. Infrastructure development also includes water system which has till now only been implemented as short term schemes viz; the cleaning of ponds. What we need is a concatenated water system that was in place before modernization (or encroachment?). Every year during the Madras week tabloids post pictures of the past Chennai, a Chennai where people traveled on rivers called coocum and adayar – now an open drainage system, a Chennai which had a zoological park near Central Station – now a place for stage shows if not a stadium for sport, a Chennai which was greener and calmer. Maybe of the changes had to happen as the time changes, but why not retain the greenery for our sake.