Latest news with #Sandhya
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
CUMTA's ‘Smart Parking Management Plan' for Anna Nagar evokes mixed response in Chennai
During a public consultation session held in Chennai on June 14, 2025 at the Regional Deputy Commissioner's Office (Central) to introduce a pilot project that will help regulate parking across roughly 25 km of Anna Nagar's roads, the residents wondered how the plan would work considering the highly-commercialised nature of the locality. Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) has conducted a study, according to which, over 60% of road space in some parts of Anna Nagar is encroached by way of haphazard parking, thus reducing the space for pedestrian and vehicular movement. Therefore, CUMTA, along with officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP), has planned to implement the 'Smart Parking Management Plan' on a pilot-basis in Anna Nagar from September. Project details As per the pilot project, around 2,000 parking slots are to be marked, with 70% on major roads such as the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th Avenues, and the rest on internal roads like the 11th to 13th Main Roads. An average of 5,000 vehicles are parked in a day in the area, including over 3,000 during peak hours. Parking will be prohibited within 20 metres of bus stops and within 100 metres of schools. Designated pick-up and drop-off bays will be created at key locations to ensure safe access for commuters. Parking charges will be set at ₹60 per hour for trucks, ₹40 for cars and ₹20 for two-wheelers. The parking revenue thus generated is likely to be used for local mobility improvements such as better footpaths and signage, according to CUMTA's plan. A team of 100 trained marshals will monitor enforcement in two shifts, each covering about 500 metres. Marshals will use body cameras and surveillance tools. Non-payment for over three hours will result in wheel clamping; after six hours, vehicles may be towed under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Parking will not be allowed within 20 metres of bus stops or 100 metres of schools. Pick-up and drop-off bays will be marked. The plan will use camera-based management systems, mobile applications for digital payments, a centralised digital dashboard for real-time monitoring and trained parking marshals will be deployed on the ground for enforcement. 'Insights from the Anna Nagar pilot project will inform broader parking reforms across Chennai, supporting the city's vision for safer, more inclusive, and efficient streets,' a CUMTA official said. Public reaction At the meeting, residents, vendors, elected representatives and commercial stakeholders of Anna Nagar raised their concerns about enforcement of parking plans, street encroachments, relocation and the design of the upcoming plan. Sandhya, secretary of the Federation of Annanagar Residents Associations (FOARA), said the parking system outlined by officials looked thorough, but without strict enforcement, it might turn out ineffective. Issues such as encroachment of pavements and roads by parked vehicles, street vendors and stationing of heavy trucks along major avenues are rampant despite restrictions in place. 'If the current violations are not addressed first, how can a new system succeed?' she doubted. Sukumar, president of FOARA, suggested construction of a multi-level parking at Anna Nagar East bus stand (with a skywalk to Tower Park) near Thirumangalam Metro and at the Civil Supplies warehouse. Heavy vehicles should not be allowed to park on Anna Nagar 6th Avenue and the space should instead be used for two-wheelers and cars which ply more frequently, he urged He also objected to the designation of 5th Avenue and 15th Main Road as vending zones, stating that Anna Nagar is primarily a residential locality. To this, a vending committee member raised concerns about jobs. Ms. Sandhya responded that vending does not only entail selling fruits and veggies from carts — but also setting up of permanent stalls on pavements that may hinder pedestrian pathway. The public also sought better footpaths, removal of encroachments, management of street vending in residential areas and stricter building code enforcement. Public feedback will be considered, said CUMTA in a statement.
The Hindu
08-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
A village's cry to keep a panchayat union primary school running in Tiruvallur
At a small village in Tiruvallur district that even Google Maps hasn't captured, a panchayat union primary school is fighting to survive. From one student last year, the number of students has increased to three this year. Nestled at the end of a gravel road at Vellambakkam are three new buildings. One is for the school, another is for a library, and the other is for a self-help group. A temporary teacher has been deputed since last September to teach all the classes and an assistant principal-in-charge has been sent from another school. Two students joined a day after the school reopened on June 2 this year. B. Rejina, 10, from Vellambakkam is the only student from last year. 'Last year, it was very boring as I was the only student. Now, Sandhya is my best friend,' Rejina says, pointing to Sandhya who joined the school recently. When Rejina and Sandhya finish Class V this year, R. Sangeetha will be the only student left in the school. The teacher says that only last year did the enrolment drop to one student. 'The School Management Committee member, residents, and Rejina, too, came along for door-to-door canvassing and distribution of pamphlets, but parents were not willing to enrol their children here,' she says. On the reopening day, only Rejina turned up for school. Soon two other children joined. Their families had shifted to the village in search of work as tree-cutters. 'We are now canvassing. The nearby Mettur Colony has no school, and three children from there would join too,' the teacher adds. S. Balaganapathy, Rejina's father, says there were 13 students two years ago. 'Last year, there were two students, including my child. But the other child left in two months. We wanted to shift Rejina when she was the only student, but we decided to wait as the school is nearby.' M. Shanthi, the 59-year-old cook, has been the only permanent fixture at the school. 'About 15 years ago, I used to cook for 40 children. Even if it's one student, I come and cook,' she says, adding 'dal' to the mango sambhar brewing in the pot. Fight for education The school was built 20 years ago. Vellambakkam residents say they fought hard to get a school established and a road laid in the village. 'Our leader at that time brought us together to demand education and amenities. All of us fought for the school and the Anganwadi. I studied there, and my boys too,' says Gowri (name changed), a resident. Then why is the school struggling for enrolment? Residents attribute the problem to the dwindling population and the parents' preference for private schools. 'Almost all of us studied at the Vellambakkam Panchayat Union Primary School. But once we got degrees, we had to go out for jobs. Most houses in the village are abandoned as people leave for better opportunities,' says Raja, 35, pointing to a dilapidated house next to his. According to the 2011 Census, Vellambakkam had 297 people with 81 huts. Residents say that today, the number of houses has come down to 35-40. 'As there are no roads in the village, except for the main road, the parents are attracted by the transport offered by the private schools. Further, as one school has classes till VIII or X, students would rather go there because there is no need to change school,' says Rajammal, 30, a resident. The nearest private school is 1.5 km away. It offers education till Class 8 and transport. Hence, most parents enrol their children in that school. 'It means safety with pick-up and drop at the doorstep,' says Rajammal. A government aided school is 4 km away, offering classes till XII, while a government higher secondary school is another 3 km away. Hence, many residents opt for the private or government-aided schools. Selvi, another resident, says the primary school was their introduction to education. 'In the last three years, the enrolment dropped from 10 to 5. All of us started canvassing. Urging the parents to enrol their children in the school, we would highlight the benefits of a government school. The school is good. But the parents fancy the neat ties, shoes, and vans of a private school,' she says. About 500 metres away from the primary school is the Anganwadi, where there are 15 children. 'Every year, I advise the parents to enrol their children in the government school, but they don't listen,' says the Anganwadi teacher. Meanwhile, Rajammal plans to enrol her 18-month-old child in the primary school. 'She will study there like her father, but I hope the school survives until then.' An official of the District Education Office hopes to increase the enrolment. 'We are trying to increase it. But if our efforts fail, the school may be shut down.' Decreasing enrolment This is not the only school with one student. Ramanathapuram also has a primary school with one student. Even as the School Education Department has been intensifying efforts to enrol more students in government schools, many government schools have a low enrolment rate. Over 1.8 lakh students have joined government schools this year. At the Project Approval Board meeting for the Samagra Shiksha Fund for 2025-26, the Union Ministry of Education recommended that Tamil Nadu's School Education Department improve enrolment in government schools. Citing the UDISE+ 2023-24 report, it said 64% of the government schools in the State had only 37% enrolment, whereas 21% of unaided schools had 46%. It also pointed out that 3,481 primary schools had less than 15 students, while 39 schools had no enrolment at all.
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Time of India
Widow, daughter booked for obstructing govt officials
Khargone: Threatening suicide in a high-voltage drama to the govt officials over the dispute regarding the path to the farm proved costly for a widow and her daughter. Gogava police registered a case against them late Thursday. Khargone's additional superintendent of police Shakuntala Ruhal, said that on the complaint of a revenue inspector, a case under BNS sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from their duty) and 221 (offence of obstructing a public servant in the discharge of their public functions) was registered late Thursday against Mohammadpura's Sandhya Verma and her mother, Uma. The ASP said that revenue and police officials went to the field of the accused in compliance with a court order to provide a path. During the action there, Nageshwar Verma's wife, Uma, and daughter, Sandhya, created a huge ruckus. While Uma threatened to consume poison, Sandhya tried to commit suicide by pouring kerosene on herself. The duo said they would not let the path pass through their farm and challenged the order in the appellate court. The high-voltage drama of handling both of them was captured on mobile, and the videos went viral on social media. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 새로 나온 '실비보험' 최적가 가입추천! "月 보험료 낮추고, 보장은 실속있게"... 굿리치 보험대리점 (등록번호:제2006038313호) 가격 받기 Undo While Sandhya was seen holding a matchstick in one hand after allegedly pouring kerosene, the lady police tried to stop her. Seeing the fierce form of both, the revenue and police officials had to return without complying with the court order, said the ASP.. Khargone: Threatening suicide in a high-voltage drama to the govt officials over the dispute regarding the path to the farm proved costly for a widow and her daughter. Gogava police registered a case against them late Thursday. Khargone's additional superintendent of police Shakuntala Ruhal, said that on the complaint of a revenue inspector, a case under BNS sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from their duty) and 221 (offence of obstructing a public servant in the discharge of their public functions) was registered late Thursday against Mohammadpura's Sandhya Verma and her mother, Uma. The ASP said that revenue and police officials went to the field of the accused in compliance with a court order to provide a path. During the action there, Nageshwar Verma's wife, Uma, and daughter, Sandhya, created a huge ruckus. While Uma threatened to consume poison, Sandhya tried to commit suicide by pouring kerosene on herself. The duo said they would not let the path pass through their farm and challenged the order in the appellate court. The high-voltage drama of handling both of them was captured on mobile, and the videos went viral on social media. While Sandhya was seen holding a matchstick in one hand after allegedly pouring kerosene, the lady police tried to stop her. Seeing the fierce form of both, the revenue and police officials had to return without complying with the court order, said the ASP.. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
Hans India
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
A tragic day for cricket
It is perhaps the unkindest cut and beyond comprehension. It is a tragedy that has shaken the nation because of its magnitude. It was caused by a large crowd that had gathered to participate in a celebration by their cricket icons. But then, realistically speaking, it is not that celebrations have never turned into tragedies in India. We have had many instances of deaths stemming from stampedes created by die-hard fans of celebrities from the film industry out to see their heroes in life and blood. It happened at a venue where Shah Rukh Khan was to arrive, and closer home fans of actor Allu Arjun created a stampede when he was to visit Sandhya theatre in Hyderabad, which was having a special screening of his Pushpa 2 The Rule. This resulted in the death of a woman, while her young son is still to recover fully from the injuries he sustained because of the unruly crowd. Although there were no deaths, there was a massive turnout of fans when Salman Khan was in Hyderabad for the inauguration of an optical shop on a busy road in the heart of the city. However, the tragedy that struck M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday afternoon is too tragic. In an unexpected development, thousands of fans gathered outside the stadium, which was to celebrate the maiden IPL title triumph of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), which they did in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Even though nearly 11 deaths (including that of a six-year-old girl) have been confirmed by the authorities at Bowring Hospital in Shivajinagar, and Vaidehi Hospital on Mallya Road, the toll may increase as some of the injured are in critical condition. The chaos created by the fans, who wanted to catch a close glimpse of their idol Virat Kohli and all RCB players, forced police personnel to resort to mild lathi-charge, which, ostensibly aggravated the situation with the fans running helter-skelter, while trying to exit from the gates that were kept open for the celebrations. Amid the grief and shock at the tragic developments, there are many things for one to ponder. It is a different matter altogether that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar condoled the deaths and expressed their sorrow and grief as did the entire nation. All hell broke loose after a brief speech by Kohli, and team skipper Rajat Patidar held aloft the glittering Cup, which was followed by a lap of honour around the stadium by the victorious team. How did this suddenly result in a chaotic situation remains unexplainable. Were enough precautions taken by Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) for the special felicitation ceremony inside and outside the stadium remains debatable. Did they deploy a more than normal security cover in the vicinity, given the list of celebrities expected to grace the occasion? In a way, the entire episode exposes the chinks in the police armour and those of the civic authorities. The police wing was found wanting as it failed to control a crowd that was expected to be sizeable given that the local favourites were coming home with the coveted trophy for the first time in 18 years. This incident also exposes the absurd crowd management skills of the police and official machinery. The deputy chief minister asking people not to blame the police for this mishap is a sheepish self-defence tactic. All officials responsible for this tragedy must be made accountable and punished suitably, given that there have been quite a few deaths on a sad day for cricket.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
6 girls of a family drownwhile bathing in Yamuna
Agra: Six girls -- aged between 10 and 18 years -- died after drowning while bathing in the at Nagla Nathu village in Agra district around 10am on Tuesday. Police said all of them were cousins from an extended Agra-based family. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The incident took place under Sikandra police limits when one of them went deep into the river and began to drown. Soon, the other girls tried to save her, but they too were swept away by the river current. Local divers from PAC and SDRF were pressed to rescue them. Four girls were fished out dead, while two others passed away in hospital. CM Yogi Adityanath has directed that "financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each be provided to the families of the victims' from the CM's Disaster Relief Fund". Yogi also took to social media to extend his condolences to the bereaved families. Those dead were Sandhya (12), Divya (13), Naina (14), Muskan (18), Shivani (17), and Sonam (12). Muskan, Divya and Sandhya were siblings, while Naina was their uncle's daughter and Sonam and Shivani were their aunt's. Deepesh, one of the brothers who was present, said, "I went to the Yamuna, which is close to our house, for a bath. My sisters also came with me. While bathing, Sandhya unknowingly entered deep water. Seeing this, Muskan and Divya tried to save her. I also tried to save them..." Ram Dayal, who witnessed the incident, said, "I along with a dozen others reached the spot after hearing their screams. The water was at least 15 ft deep. It is unclear whether they knew how to swim. Two of them were rushed to hospital on motorcycles as there were no roads on that stretch." Agra DM Aravind Mallapa Bangari said, "I and additional CP Ram Badan Singh went to the site along with other officials. The place is not a bathing ghat. We're making all the necessary arrangements and are in touch with the families."
