The fate of Chennai's Waterways

After yesterday's post about the Adyar estuary project, I decided to follow up on an article that had caught my attention a couple of weeks ago - the Cooum restoration project. A team of officials from the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) had made a presentation to the government on the three phase implementation of the project, with the final master plan to be in place by February 2012.

While it sounded positive, I looked around for other opinions, and came across this article. While the focus of the article is on the displacement of the slum dwellers along the Cooum, I was also horrified by the fact that the elevated traffic 'corridors' are being planned along its banks. I had briefly read about the Chennai 'High Speed Circular Transportation Corridor' while looking for information on the East Coast Expressway, but hadn't grasped the fact that they were being planned along Chennai's waterways - the Adyar and the Cooum.

How is it even logical that they can, on one hand, try to restore the ecology of a river and on the other, build an expressway along its banks? And what saddened me more is that it is the very same Adyar Poonga Trust (now renamed 'Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust') that is implementing the elevated corridor project along the waterways. It makes me question their reason for restoring the rivers and the creek. No longer does it seem like an idea born out of desire to protect nature, but rather a desire to achieve a certain 'image' and enhanced real estate value.

And even so, I think they have got it wrong. Have they even imagined how a three tier, 6 lane expressway will look next to a river? I shudder to imagine it. And even from a traffic planning perspective, is it the right thing to do? I wonder. Will it really solve any issues, or is it just a grandiose gesture?

I've been blogging about Chennai for a month now, and though I've learnt a lot, I still feel extremely ignorant. Sometimes more knowledge only makes me feel more helpless and dispirited. Where is Chennai headed? Is there a long term goal, or are they only looking at quick fix solutions? Each step seem to be towards a polluted, car dominated city rather than a well connected pedestrian friendly one. Why can't we learn from the mistakes the west has made, rather than follow in their footsteps? What do you think? Leave a comment or email me at childofchennai@gmail.com

Auroville and the Adyar Poonga

I must admit I knew very little about the Adyar Poonga project, apart from seeing the beautifully painted murals on Greenways road. I noticed that these were similar to the ones at the ECR tollgate, and on further inquiry found that they were done by Auroville based artists. But what were they doing at such a busy junction? I asked around and was informed that they were part of the Adyar poonga project (and which planet had I been on?)

It is an ecological park being set up in a joint venture between the Tamil Nadu Road Development Corporation (TNRDC) and the Tamil Nadu Government - planned and executed by Auroville's Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants. There didn't seem to be much real information online, until I stumbled across this article on Auroville Today. Please take a few minutes to read it, as it is an interesting chronicle of the long journey from conception of the idea in the mid 1990's to actual work beginning on site in early 2008.

And although it is still a work in progress, the change is already very much apparent. Residents in the neighbouring apartments now open their windows to greenery, fresh air and the sound of birds - rather than keep them shut to keep out the stench, as they used to do just a few years ago. A reminder that positive change is possible - even here in Chennai.