How many more lives ?

On the onset of fresh terrorist blasts couple of days ago in Mumbai, I realize we are in an era when terrorists threaten the peace and integrity of our country and innocent public lives are at risk in the midst of this war on terror. However, for quite sometime now and even at this point, there is another dark threat looming which daily threatens the lives of innocent civilians. If you haven't guessed it yet, I'm referring to the deaths caused by Road Accidents in our cities. Infact no Indian city is safe enough and death due to road accidents in our country by far exceeds the count of deaths due to terrorist miscreants.

The victims are usually normal people like you and me, who leave home every morning intending to do a day's work and return home in the evening, except for the unfortunate ones who end up being a victim or should I say an unwilling martyr to our poor transport and traffic systems.

I live in Chennai, a city in a phase of economic spurt, a genuine metro in India and trying hard to break the shackles of poor infrastructure while trying to expand in all directions. Everytime some initiatives are taken, Chennai seems to enter a deeper recess, slowly crawling its way out albeit with the most damage done. Chennai traffic system was always poor and recently has fallen even deeper in standards, creating an environment conducive to fatal accidents. The problem is even more compounded thanks to the  poor traffic sense of its road users.

As I wonder how many more lives have to be shed before the traffic and road conditions become user friendly, here's an account of fatal road accident this day onwards (15-Jul-2011) as published in THE HINDU. Being a Chennaiite, I would like to restrict my report within the Chennai city limits:

Total deaths (since 14-Jul-2011): 16

1. A 23 yr old software engineer was killed by a garbage truck which was coming in the wrong direction.
Date: 14-Jul-2011:
Location: Pallikaranai, Velachery Main Road,
Time: 09:30 am
Casualties: 1

2. Container lorry hits a car
Date: 31-Jul-2011
Location: 15th Main Road, Anna Nagar
Time: 04:30 am
Casualties: 1

3. Vehicle carrying 8 students collided with a Private Bus
Date: 05-Aug-2011
Location: ECR, Uthandi
Time: Evening
Casualties: 2

4. Father son duo killed as their Bus was hit by a MTC bus
Date: 06-Aug-2011
Location: Velachery Main Road, East Tambaram
Time: 07:45 am
Casualties: 2

5. Motorcycle hit  by an unidentified vehicle
Date: 08-Aug-2011
Location: 200 ft Road, Chinna Mathur, near Madhavaram milk colony
Time: Evening
Casualties: 1


6. Motorcycle hit  by lorry
Date: 12-Aug-2011
Location: Pallavaram, Thoraipakkam Radial road
Time: 1:30 pm
Casualties: 1


7. Woman (36) and Daughter (9) run over by lorry (rash and negligent driving by lorry driver)
Date: 17-Aug-2011
Location: Pattabiram, National Highway 205
Time: Morning School time
Casualties: 2

8. Pedestrian knocked down by speeding motorist
Date: 17-Aug-2011
Location: Avadi
Time: 9:00 pm
Casualties: 1

9. Man fatally knocked down by an unidentified vehicle
Date: 18-Aug-2011
Location: Neelankarai, ECR
Time: Night
Casualties: 1


10. 26 year old woman died when a speeding private bus hits a motorcycle she was travelling in.
Date: 02-Sep-2011
Location: Velachery Main Road, Pallikaranai
Time: Night
Casualties: 1


11. A Woman killed in road accident
Date: 16-Sep-2011
Location: Maduravoyal Bridge
Time: 7:00 pm
Casualities: 1


12. 2 friends knocked down by a van
Date: 16-Sep-2011
Location: Kamarajar Salai (Marina road)
Time: Dont know
Casualities: 2

Chennai - Point Zero

Have you ever realised where Chennai actually begins? I think about this everytime I see the milestone that reads Chennai 55 Kms or Chennai 131 Kms. Some say it's the distance from Parrys while some say its from the Central station. Here's an account of my task on tracing where Chennai's "0 Kilometer" lies.

An article in The Hindu sometime back clarified my doubt. As per the article, Chennai's Zero Kilometer is located on the Muthusamy Bridge which is at the end of the Poonamallee High Road well after Central station. The P.H Road splits into two, the left takes you to High Court/Parrys while right takes you on the Muthusamy bridge. Geographically, this road is also close to the 3 major roads that Chennai has viz, NH4 (Poonamallee High Road), NH 45 (Mount Road and GST Road) and NH5 (Highway to Calcutta).

This bridge was about 45 minute drive from my house. On my way to the bridge on a crisp Saturday morning drive, I caught a glimpse of few more Chennai xx Kms milestones which would have otherwise gone unnoticed since they are placed among the hustle-bustle of the crowded city road. While on the bridge, it was not hard to spot the milestone that reads "Chennai 0 Kms". I feel this place lacks the importance and grandeur considering this is where Chennai actually begins.

Courtesy:

http://www.hindu.com/2007/06/17/stories/2007061755800300.htm

How it began...

Just like any normal Chennai "city"zen, I used to crib and whine looking at the shortcomings and poor implementation of Chennai traffic and related systems. Traffic somehow happens to be the single biggest problem every major metro in the world has to face albeit with different facets.

It was last year unexpectedly that I got interested in studying Chennai traffic and think about alternatives to overcome those shortcomings. It began when I had applied for PGSEM course at IIM-B. Having cleared the cut-off in CAT, I was shortlisted for the interview for which I had to prepare an SOP "Statement Of Purpose" document. It was a 5 part SOP in which the last question asked, "Which was one issue really dear to your heart?". Going by the nature of IIMs, I wanted this issue to be out of my profession or academics and something that addressed a social cause. I gave few topics some serious thought, but the issue about traffic irregularities kept coming back to me. More so with the fact that one such accident had indeed altered my personal life to a great extent.

So that's when I decided that the issue closest to my heart would be Chennai Traffic irregularities. But I hadn't done enough research or analysis to substantiate my contribution to Chennai traffic which was still in its infancy. Needless to say, I didn't make it through the IIM-B interview. But as a result I cultivated immense interest in studying and understanding the Chennai traffic system and thus was born this blog on Chennai Traffic Woes.