POLICE ISSUES GUIDELINES FOR NEW YEAR PARTIES

The city police have mentioned that all hotels and private clubs organizing New Year-eve parties have to wind up by 1am.

Commissioner S George convened a meeting with hotel representatives. 80 representatives of hotels and clubs participated in this meeting. Senior officers warned against any inconvenience to the public during the celebrations.

The restrictions announced included asking hotels to install surveillance cameras at vantage points and obtaining structural stability certificate in case they planned to erect a stage.Hotel swimming pools should remain closed from 8 pm on December 31 to 6 am on January 1 and no obscene programs or events should be organized. Liquor should be served only at the bar.

 

Restricting the erection of stages in the middle of swimming pools, police said appropriate licences should be obtained before serving liquor. Pointing out that proper parking arrangements should be made and identification documents of foreigners be double checked, George said drunk guests should be sent home with a driver

ISSUANCE OF FREE MOSQUITO NET – GREEN RATION CARD HOLDER

Chennai Corporation has decided to issue free mosquito net, for the people who has the green ration card. The poor people living near the drainage passage are getting benefited by the free mosquito net. Till now around 3 lakhmosquito nets reached the poor people.

Issuance commenced: The program for the issuance of the mosquito net was initiated by the chief minister J. Jayalalitha last month. Even though the scheme was started by last month, the TamilNadu Corporation delayed the process of issuance. Regarding this delay, the ‘Dinamani’ Newspaper has delivered the detailed news.

On behalf of this news, the corporation has started its duty for issuing the mosquito net. As the start, the jobs are initiated at Thandaiyarpet and Rayapuram. This scheme is only for the people who has a green ration card.

Officials of Corporation declare that:

The process of issuing the free mosquito net is initiated at Sunday in Chennai. In the commencing month, the process will be initiated in other states. Since many poor people staying near the drainage area are not having the ration card may not be able avail this benefit. Hence people recommend the officialsto go in person to the houses and serve the net.

KOEMMERLING EXHIBITION ON DECEMBER 27,28, AND 29 OF 2013

Koemmerling Exhibition is going to held on December 27,28, and 29 of 2013 in Chennai Trade Center for the Building Products arranges by M/S Indian Institute of Architects.

Saravana Building Products is going to participate in Kommerling Exhibition. Their Stall No.44.

GIONEE ELIFE E7 LAUNCHED IN CHENNAI PRICE STARTS RS. 26,999

The Chinese handset maker Gionee has announced that the `Elife E7` Smartphone will hit the Chennai market by January 15 and the price starting at Rs. 26,999 .

Gionee Elife E7 Features:

• 5.50-inch Display
• 2.2GHz quad-core Processor,Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 
• 16-megapixel Rear Camera
• 8-megapixel Front Camera
• 2GB RAM
• Android 4.2
• 16GB Storage
• 2500mAh Battery

INTRODUCTION OF BARCODE ANSWER SHEET – TO AVOID ABUSE

A new barcode system was introduced for the 10th and 12th answer sheet, in order to control the manipulation either by the students and the teachers. The 12th exam is going to start on March 3rd and ends on 25th March and the same way the 10th exam starts on 26th March and ends on April 9th. Approximately 8.5 lakh students are going to take up the 12th exam and 11lakh students will be taking up the 10th exam.

During these public exams various new rules including the answer sheet with the photo and secret barcode are introduced. The answer sheet should be in the form of a single bundle of paper. For S.S.L.C, the answer sheet bundle contains 30 sheets and for 12th standard, the bundle contains 40 sheets. The science group alone contains the 52 sheets per bundle.

Based on the average need of the students this count of paper is getting calculated. Because of this single bundle answer sheet, students would not be in need of additional sheets and they can save their time without standing and asking for extra sheets. This barcode system reduces the addition tensions of the valuation teachers. 

COLLEGES MOOTING A PLAN TO SEND SMS TO THE PARENTS OF MISBEHAVING AND ERRANT STUDENTS

There has been an increasing trend of violence among the traveling students who have started using strong weapons such as sickles.In a recent scuffle among the students in a bus in the Washermanpet area, many persons including a woman sustained injuries and cuts. Transport and college authorities have come together to take sever steps to reduce this trend. 

Dr. Kalivaradhan, Principal, Pachaiyappa’s College, informed: 

There are no major conflicts when the students are inside the college campus attending classes. Scuffles occur frequently in the MTC buses. Some students have been removed from the college with transfer certificates.A group of 20 faculty members have been monitoring students’ bvehaviour. The parents are not aware of their sons’ misdeeds. Letters written to the parents do not reach them. So, there is a plan to send SMS to the parents’ cell-phones. The cell number of the monitoring group will be given to the parents.

Presidency College Principal, Mr. M. Mohammad Ibrahim informed:The students become union members as soos as they join the college as insisted by the senior students commuting in the same bus. In the face of a scuffle, the senior students escape somehow and the first year students are caught. The junior students have to be advised and their attention should be diverted to more creative activities such as music, literature, and sports. It would be better to install surveillance camera in the bus routes covering the various colleges.

Happy Birth Day Super Star

Rajinikanth (born 12 December 1950 as Shivaji Rao Gaikwad) is an Indian film actor, media personality, and cultural icon. He made his debut as an actor in the National Film Award-winning Tamil film Apoorva Raagangal (1975), directed by K. Balachander, whom the actor considers his mentor.
After a brief phase of portraying antagonistic characters in Tamil films, Rajinikanth gradually rose to become an established film actor. He continues to hold a matinee idol status in the popular culture of India. His mannerisms and stylised delivery of dialogue in films contribute to his mass popularity and appeal. After being paid INR26 crore (US$4.0 million) for his role in Sivaji (2007), he became the highest paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan.
While working in other regional film industries of India, Rajinikanth has also appeared in the cinemas of other nations, including that of the United States. As of 2013, he has won six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards—four Best Actor Awards and two Special Awards for Best Actor—and a Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award. Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour, was bestowed upon him in 2000. In addition to acting, Rajinikanth has also worked as a producer and screenwriter. Apart from his film career, he is also a philanthropist, spiritualist and serves as an influence in the Dravidian politics.

KOCHADAYAN TO ROCK ON SCREENS LATER

The most awaited Super star Rajnikanth’s film – Kochadayan’s release is postponed again. It was previously planned to be released on the day of Pongal. But now, it is postponed to 26th January. And, the audio release of the movie is planned to be held at Nehru stadium on Rajnikanth’s birthday – 12th December. The final stage works of the film are getting done and are taken care of by Rajnikanth’s younger daughter, Soundharya. Due to delay in these works, the release is again postponed. 

Arya to work with Rajesh again

Arya, who has been riding high in the past few months with hits like Raja Rani and Arrambam is a busy man these days, it can be said.
He is now set to work with director Rajesh again, under his home production  'The Show People'. Sources said the project would go on floors some time in June, 2014 and Santhanam would also be part of it, as has been the norm in Rajesh's movies.  It may be noted that Arya and Rajesh had earlier teamed up successfully in Boss Engira Baskiran
Meanwhile, Arya is presently preparing to work in director Magizh Thirumeni's project which is said to be an action-thriller.

Police plea HC to remove Sivaji Ganesan's statue

Chennai: Chennai Police has made a suggestion in the Madras High Court that the statue of veteran Tamil actor Sivaji Ganesan be removed from Kamarajar Salai, as it had caused many road accidents, including fatal ones.

    
In his counter affidavit filed before the first bench of the Madras High Court, K Soundararajan, Addl. Dy Commissioner, Armed Reserve, also in-charge of ACP (Traffic), Mylapore, submitted that the presence of the statue badly affected the visibility of the motorists, who are intending to take right turn to Radhakrishnan Salai from Tamil Nadu Assembly.
    
Similarly, motorists coming from Radhakrishnan Salai and intending to take right turn to Santhome High Road also have a chance to hit the motorists, who are intending to take right turn to Radhakrishnan Salai from Kamarajar Salai as the square shaped traffic island of the statue measuring 14 x14 feet high was situated at the middle of the junction, he said.

After sun-set, the motorists cannot notice the movement of pedestrians, as the crossing point to help the pedestrians to go from east to west and vice versa is situated behind the statue, he said.
    
After 11 p.m. the signal will be put on automatic mode without any traffic cop to regulate. Because of this, the motorists tend to violate the signal and because of the obstruction of the view by the statue, a number of accidents had taken place at this junction, he contended.
    
Twelve accidents, including a fatal one, had taken place in 2012. In 2013, eight accidents had taken place so far. If the statue is removed, the motorists of Kamarajar Salai and Radhakrishnan Salai will get more space to take right turn, the ACP said and added that the statue can be shifted to a place on the beach side.

 When the matter came up today, the Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Samooha Nala Sanga Peravai, a society registered under the TN Societies Registration Act, wanted to implead itself as a party in the case. And the bench of Chief Justice RK Agrawal and Justice M Sathyanarayanan posted the matter for further hearing on December 13.
    
In his PIL, one PN Srinivasan prayed the court for a direction to remove the statue. After his death, one P Nagarajan pursued the case.

CHENNAI CORPORATION TO INSTALL CCTV CAMERAS AT AMMA CANTEENS

The Chennai Corporation Council on Friday passed a resolution to install 600 cameras at the 200 low budget Amma canteens at a cost of  Rs. 1.07 Crores. There have been instances of utensils gone missing from these canteens. 

The surveillance will help prevent smuggling and theft of food materials. Errant staff can be pulled up and malpractices be detected. The women staffs are likely to leave the canteens only at 9pm after cleaning up. There is also a possibility of drunkards demanding food at night. CCTV cameras will help prevent these instances.

T. NAGAR POST OFFICE GETS ATM FACILITY

As a step to simplify money transactions with post office, the government has introduced ATMs here too. The very first ATM of the state will soon be set up at T.Nagar head post office during December. In addition, the postal department has planned to network the post offices with the banking facilities.

During the initial stage, four selective post offices will be interconnected for operating savings accounts. These four post offices are:

• T.Nagar
• Greams road
• Old college building at DPI campus
• Karaikudi 

ONE- DAY BANK STRIKE ON 19TH DECEMBER

The United Forum of Bank Unions, representing employees of public and private sector banks, has decided to observe a one-day nationwide strike on 19th December. Pressing various demands, the United Forum of Bank Unions, representing employees of public and private sector banks, has decided to observe a one-day nationwide strike next month.A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held here recently, UFBU said in a statement on Friday.

 

The United Forum of Bank Unions deliberated at length about the anti-people policies of the government especially with regard to the banking reforms which are bound not only hit the common people but also the resources of the country.More and more foreign banks are encouraged to open their offices in India and this may pave way for takeover of the established private banks in the country.

 

Therefore, the UFBU has decided to launch a one-day country-wide token strike on December 19.

MALAYALAM SUPERSTAR LAUNCHES A NEW WEBSITE ON SABARIMALA

Malayalam superstar Mohanlal launched a new website on Sabarimala,www.sabarimalaayyappa.com on the first day in the Malayalam month of Vrishchikam.

 

The website of the Pathanamthitta-based Tatwamasi Communications, has been prepared in 70 world languages, covering various aspects of Sabarimala pilgrimage, from its legendary genesis to the present state of massive devotee influx to the holy hillock, and the history Lord Ayyappa Temple.

 

The website has been packed with all basic information on Sabarimala pilgrimage, which includes importance of various rituals, its timings, important festivals, whom to contact, etc.

 

The photographs, news reports, features, and video clippings uploaded on the website were highly informative for the pilgrims.

 

The website also provides live news coverage in different languages on the day-to-day affairs at Sabarimala, besides links of important newspaper reports on Sabarimala.

DETAILED INFORMATION OF THE CANDIDATES AT YOUR FINGER TIPS

Now people can get detailed information regarding the candidates in the upcoming elections. Think tank Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Facebook have joined hands and will provide information about candidates in the upcoming polls through phones using Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) technology.

 

The USSD is a protocol used by cellular telephones to communicate with the service provider`s computer systems.

 

The users will have to dial *325# from their mobile to access Facebook and select the election menu (option 6) or directly dial *325*35# to access the election menu.

 

The facility is free of charge.

 

Voters will be able to know the worthiness of the candidates - their educational, criminal and financial information at their fingertips and choose wisely.

SACHIN TENDULKAR TO BE HONOURED WITH BHARAT RATNA

Sachin Tendulkar will be conferred with Bharat Ratna, according to a release on Saturday by the Prime Minister`s Office.

The Indian government informed in a press release, "Sachin Tendulkar is undoubtedly an outstanding cricketer - a living legend who has inspired millions across the globe. During the last 24 years, since the young age of 16 years, Shri Tendulkar has played cricket across the world and won laurels for our country. He has been a true ambassador of India in the world of sports.

"His achievements in cricket are unparalleled, the records set by him unmatched, and the spirit of sportsmanship displayed by him exemplary. That he has been honoured with several awards is testimony to his extraordinary brilliance as a sportsman," the release added.

The legendary cricketer who played his final innings in cricket today, at Wankhede, will be the first sportsperson to be honoured with the award. 

Bharat Ratna is India`s highest civilian award, conferred for performance ofhighest order in any field of human endeavor. The honour has been conferred on 41 people till date.

Old Chennai (Madras)

Chennai Listeni/tʃɨˈnaɪ/ (also known as Madras Listeni/məˈdrɑːs/) is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal, it is the biggest industrial, commercial center, and a major cultural, economic and educational center in South India. The area around Chennai had been part of successive South Indian kingdoms for many centuries. The recorded history of the city began in the colonial times, specifically with the arrival of British East India Company and the establishment of Fort St. George in 1644. The British defended several attacks from the French colonial forces, and from the kingdom of Mysore, on Chennai's way to becoming a major naval port and presidency city by the late eighteenth century. Following the independence of India, Chennai became the capital of Tamil Nadu and an important centre of regional politics that tended to bank on the Dravidian identity of the populace.
According to the provisional results of 2011 census, the city had 4.68 million residents, making it the sixth most populous city in India; the urban agglomeration, which comprises the city and its suburbs, was home to approximately 8.9 million, making it the fourth most populous metropolitan area in the country and 31st largest urban area in the world. Chennai's economy has a broad industrial base in the automobile, computer, technology, hardware manufacturing and healthcare sectors. As of 2012, the city is India's second largest exporter of information technology (IT) and business process outsourcing (BPO) services. A major part of India's automobile industry is based in and around the city thus earning it the nickname "Detroit of India".
Chennai is an important centre for Carnatic music and hosts a large cultural event, the annual Madras Music Season, which includes performances by hundreds of artists. The city has a diverse theatre scene and is one of the important centres for Bharata Natyam, a classical dance form. The Tamil film industry, colloquially known as Kollywood, is based in the city. The city is host to the third largest expatriate population in India after Mumbai and Delhi, with 35,000 in 2009 and steadily climbing to 82,790 in 2011

Vivekanandar Illam

Vivekanandar Illam (Tamil: விவேகானந்தர் இல்லம்) (or Vivekananda House, also called Ice House (Tamil: ஐஸ் ஹவுஸ்), Castle Kernan, etc.) is a structure at Chennai, India, used by the British to store ice brought from Great Lakes in North America for about 30 years.
Ice King Frederic Tudor built an ice house at Madras facing the Bay of Bengal in 1842 as part of his ice business. Around 1880, the business collapsed and the building was sold to Biligiri Iyengar of Madras. Biligiri Iyengar was a famous advocate in the Madras High Court and was fairly well-to-do in those times. He remodelled the house, renamed it Castle Kernan after his friend, Justice Kernan in the Madras High Court and used it as a residence.
When Swami Vivekananda visited Madras in 1897 after his return from the West, Iyengar, being a disciple of Swami Vivekananda, made him stay at the Ice House. Vivekananda stayed at the Ice House between 6 February 1897 to 14 February 1897. During his nine day stay, he shook India’s national consciousness through his fiery lectures at Chennai. When Vivekananda was about to depart, he agreed to his disciples' request to set up a permanent centre at the Ice House.
Later, Ramakrishna Math (Monastery) Chennai was founded by Swami Ramakrishnananda, a brother disciple of Swami Vivekananda. The mission activities continued till 1906. The Math functioned from here during its first 10 years (1897–1906) until it got moved to the current location at Mylapore, Chennai and the property came up for mortgage and was purchased by a zamindar.
In 1914, Ice House was acquired by the Government of Madras as part of their social welfare scheme to function as the hostel and training school for the child widow's home run by Sister R. S. Subbalakshmi, a social reformer and educationist.
In 1963, during the Birth Centenary of Swami Vivekananda, the Government of Tamil Nadu renamed the Castle Kernan as Vivekanandar Illam (Illam means house in Tamil) or 'Vivekananda House'. In 1997, on the eve of the Centenary of Swamiji’s return to India (and his stay at House), the Government of Tamil Nadu at the request of the Ramakrishna Math, leased out the Vivekananda House and it’s valid up to 2020.

"Chennai Lighthouse"

The Madras Light House (Tamil: சென்னைக் கலங்கரை விளக்கம்) is a lighthousefacing the Bay of Bengal on the east coast of the Indian Subcontinent. It is a famous landmark on the Marina Beach in Chennai, India. It was built by the East Coast Constructions and Industries in 1976 replacing the old lighthouse in the northern direction. The lighthouse was opened in January 1977. It also houses the meteorological department and is restricted to visitors. It is one of the few lighthouses in the world and the only one in India with an elevator. It is also the only lighthouse in India within the city limits.


By the end of the 18th century, the Madras Presidency encompassed much of south India and also Ceylon. As its capital, the city of Madras served as the nerve centre of the sea trade controlled by the British East India Company. Ships approaching the shore of Madras after nightfall faced the risk of running aground on the shoals of Covelong (Kovalam) in the south and the sand-banks of Armagon and Pulicat in the north.
The present lighthouse is the fourth lighthouse of Chennai. Before the end of the 18th century, when Madras was an open sea shore, where goods were loaded and unloaded from boats, bonfire lit by fisherwomen was used to guide the menfolk to the shore. The arrangement of exhibiting light to assist British East India Company's vessels arriving at Madras and to enter the port during the 17th and 18th centuries is not known since no record is available. The first conventional lighthouse was proposed in 1795, the very year when the first census of the city was taken. In February 1795, maritime officials petitioned the British government to build a lighthouse at Fort St. George to serve as a navigational aid, allowing vessels to enter the open anchorage at all times. The request was approved and the steeple of St. Mary's Church was considered as the site for the new lighthouse. However, the proposal did not materialise due to opposition from the chaplains. Hence, the terrace of the officer's mess-cum-exchange building (the present day's Fort Museum) was chosen as the location for the new lighthouse, and the first lighthouse started functioning in 1796. It used a large oil-wick lantern to aid vessels approaching the port. Situated at 99 feet above sea level, it had 12 lamps fuelled by coconut oil. Small country mirrors were used as reflectors. The beam emanating from the lamp swept the sea as far as 25 miles from the shore. Signals were exchanged with the lighthouse by merchants on the ship, who would conduct all the transactions later in the Public Exchange Hall downstairs, which served as a meeting point for brokers, merchants, and commanders of ships. The first lighthouse functioned till 1841.

In 1834, further to the petition by vice-admiral Sir John Gore about the necessity to have a more advanced lighthouse, the East India Company asked Capt. T. J. Smith of the Corps of Engineers, then on home leave in England, to suggest alternatives. When Capt. Smith returned to Madras in 1837, he brought with him a new apparatus. By then, ships, which were anchored in front of the Fort thus far, started anchoring off First Line Beach. The old lighthouse was therefore considered a location too far to the south. Incidentally, in the early 19th century, the area west of Fort St. George was the buffer zone between the Black Town and the fort which has come to be known as George Town. A fire in 1762 destroyed this area including two temples, the Chenna Kesavapperumal temple and the Chenna Malleeswarar temple that flourished in the area. The colonial government took possession of this land and facilitated the construction of these temples near the Flower Bazaar. It then considered construction of a new lighthouse on this land. This led to the choosing of a site on the Esplanade "between the Fort and the offices of Parry & Co" as the location for the new lighthouse. Thus, the second light house was erected during 1838-1844 on the north side of Fort St. George. Work began in 1838 on a granite column in the compound of the present High Court. The column was designed by Smith, who had by then been promoted to Major. The stone for the construction was sourced from quarries in Pallavaram. Work was completed in 1840 at a total cost of INR 60,000, on which the wick lamp was shifted as the supply of the new equipment by Stone Chance, Birmingham was delayed. The apparatus cost a further INR 15,000 and was of the most sophisticated kind for its times. On 9 October 1843, a public announcement was made that the new Madras Light was completed and it would be fully functional from 1 January 1844. Major Smith was asked to remain in charge until a team was trained to take over the handling of the equipment. He handed over charge to the master attendant of the Madras Harbour on 6 October 1845. The lighthouse had a full complement of staff comprising a superintendent, a deputy, a headman and six lascars. The monthly operational cost, inclusive of 208 measures of oil was INR 227 and 3 annas. It was to be the Madras Light for the next 50 years until 1894, when the British government felt the height of this lighthouse was not sufficient and decided to build a new, taller lighthouse, leading to the High Court's tallest dome becoming the third lighthouse of Madras. Today, this second lighthouse is under the watch of the Department of Archaeology as a protected monument.

In 1886, during the reconstruction of the Madras Port after a cyclone, the port officer wrote to the Madras government alerting them of a possible threat to vessel traffic in the region from a Tripasore reef spotted around 40 miles south of Madras near Seven Pagodas (now known as Mamallapuram). The port officer then recommended that a lighthouse be installed to alert ships about the impending danger. Responding to this, the government shifted this lighthouse equipment with lantern onto the dome of the new High Court building. This became the third lighthouse of Chennai and was functioning from the tallest dome of the Madras High Court. It started functioning on 1 June 1894, with argand lamps and reflectors manufactured by Chance Bros, Birmingham which had originally been installed in the 160-ft-tall lighthouse tower. This lighthouse later became crucial for the development of the Madras port.

The lighthouse used kerosene to produce light with an intensity equivalent to that emitted by about 18,000 candles. This remained one of the primary reasons for attracting the attention of the German warship SMS Emden during World War I. The lighthouse was the main target of the attack in which the High Court campus was bombed on 22 September 1914. The attack became part of the local folklore. A ballad in Tamil, published by Vijayapuram Sabhapati Pillai in 1914, goes:

“To damage Fort and Light house too
Hurl they did some bombs ... 
No damage, ha, no damage”

An improvement of equipment was introduced in 1927. In the 1970s, the lighthouse department sought a site opposite the Madras University buildings to construct a new lighthouse. However, this request was rejected by the state government. Thus, a new lighthouse was instead built at the southern end of the Marina in 1976. The new lighthouse was unveiled on 10 January 1977. An electrical lighthouse equipment manufactured by BBT, Paris was installed on the new tower, which maintains a range of 28 nautical miles for vessels and is one of the tallest lighthouses in the country.


Coconut oil was considered the best fuel for a lighthouse lamp because it made the light burn bright in the lighthouse. Gas lights were used later followed by dischargeable lamps. In the beginning, lighthouse lamp had a steady flame. When ships began to confuse this with city lights, it was decided to use a flickering light in light houses. The lighthouses at Chennai and Mamallapuram use dischargeable lamps, which rotate inside a bowl of mercury. In recent days, LED lights are preferred.

Chennai Egmore railway station

Chennai Egmore (formerly known as Madras Egmore) is a railway station in Egmore, Chennai (Madras), South India. The station acts as the arrival and departure point for trains connecting Chennai and southern, central Tamil Nadu and Kerala. This is one of the two main railway terminals in the city along with Chennai Central (Madras Central), which serves the north and west bound trains from the city. However, some trains to the north-east and eastern parts of the country also start from/pass through here, though the number is much fewer than the ones from Chennai Central. The Chennai Beach—Tambaram suburban railway line also passes through the station. The building of the railway station with decorative domes is one of the prominent landmarks of Chennai. This station is known in Tamil as Ezhumbur. Over 75% of the trains starting from Chennai Egmore station pass through Trichy at different times. The Chennai Egmore station has a platform which allows vehicles to be driven up almost to the side of the train—to allow for easy loading/unloading of baggage and passengers.
The station was apparently constructed from 1906 on land purchased from Pulney Andy, The building is built in the Gothic style of architecture with imposing domes and corridors. It is one of the prominent landmarks of the city of Chennai. The recently opened northern entrance to this railway station is on the arterial Poonamalee High road in Chennai city.

History says that the station was actually a fort, called the Egmore Redo, similar to the Leeds Castle, which is a part of Santhome. It is said that the station came up in a place that once used to store ammunition for the British.

The station building was constructed on a 2.5-acre land, for which 1.8 acres was acquired from Dr. Paul Andy who, in his letter to the 'Collector of Madras,' initially refused to sell his property owing to the difficulty with which he had purchased and developed the property. However, the South Indian Railway (SIR) Company, which was then operating train services to the south, persuaded him to sell the land, for which Andy claimed  100,000 as compensation. After acquiring the land, the SIR invited Henry Irwin, CIE (chief engineer), who did much of latter day Indo-Saracenic in Madras, and E. C. Bird, company architect, to design a building to suit the traffic need. After several alterations in the plan, the construction work began in September 1905 and was completed in 1908. It was constructed by contractor T. Samynada Pillai of Bangalore at a cost of  1.7 million. The station was officially opened on 11 June 1908.

Four AIADMK weddings leave residents fuming

CHENNAI: With giant models of India Gate and Red Fort in the background, hundreds of party cadres were in attendance when four AIADMK leaders - three of them MLAs - jointly organised wedding receptions for their children in Thiruvanmiyur on Friday. The structures were put up on South Avenue Extension five days before the function that left residents complaining that their movements were restricted. 

MLAs K P Kandan, D Jayakumar and Walajabad Ganesan and party leader P Thulasidas had decided to host their children's wedding receptions at Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre's Thiruvanmiyur campus to make it easier for the chief minister to attend and bless the couples. 

The residential area wore a carnival look with the model of India Gate welcoming people into South Avenue Extension and the one modelled on Red Fort and two elephants at the gateway to the venue. The trees on both sides of the road were decorated with lights and party flags were erected on the pavements. While some party cadres came as guests, others arrived in the hope of catching a glimpse of Jayalalithaa. 

Residents said massive tree branches, which formed a canopy over the wide road, were chopped to make space for the India Gate model, which was propped up by two tree trunks planted in trenches on either side of the road. "When we asked workers digging the holes, they claimed the work was ordered by the Chennai Corporation," said S Balasubramaniam, a resident. 

The road, lined with wide pavements and trees, has always been a walker's delight. "We are now used to this inconvenience every time a high-profile wedding is held, but this is the first time the road and pavements have been dug up," said E Murugesan, another resident. The venue earlier this year witnessed the high-profile wedding of Nayantara Kothari, niece of Mukesh Ambani, and Shamit Bhartia, son of media baron Shobana Bhartia. 

Putting up any structure, hoarding or even a notice on a public road requires permission from the collectorate and a no-objection certificate from the city corporation. The senior-most official in the corporation's Adyar zonal office said he did not receive any request for an NOC. The collector's personal assistant also confirmed they had not issued permits for any of the structures. 

When contacted, Jayakumar said he was not involved with the decorations in the front. However, Kandan said, "Required permissions and clearances from all agencies were received."

"Veeram" Upcoming Ajith Movie

           The much-awaited teaser of Ajith's upcoming film "Veeram" has been released.

The stunning 36-second teaser will definitely appeal to the masses. The video shows a few goons running with weapons in their hands. Then, the hero Ajith is shown in his trademark salt and pepper look and a blood scar on his face. The background score by composer Devi Sri Prasad creates a huge impact on the video.

Directed by "Siruthai" Siva, "Veeram" will reportedly have Ajith appearing in a rural avatar. The film has Tamannah, Santhanam, Vidarth, Ramesh Khanna, Suhail Chandhok and Pradeep Rawat in pivotal roles.

"Veeram" shooting is progressing at a brisk pace and the film's team have begun shooting a song sequence in Chennai from 7 November. Once the shooting is completed, post-production and re-recording work will begin in full swing.

There is lot of expectations on "Veeram" as Ajith is a big star and enjoys a huge fan following among the masses. The actor is teaming up with Siva for the first time, which is also creating a lot of buzz as Siva's debut flick "Siruthai" was a big hit. Moreover, Ajith's latest release "Arrambam" is doing good business at the box office. The film has already been declared a big hit much to the delight of the fans. The success of "Arrambam" has now increased the pressure on "Veeram" team to deliver a hit.

One has to wait a little longer to find out if Ajith will be able to continue his success streak with "Veeram", which  is scheduled to release in January 2014. According to reports, the Ajith starrer might hit screens on 10 January, a few days ahead of Pongal (harvest festival). However, an official confirmation on the exact release date is still awaited.

Govt will not spare userpers of state's wealth: Jaya warns

Chennai, Oct 29: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today told the State Assembly that action will be taken against those who would be found indulged in usurping the natural wealth of the state. The government would also take a policy decision on the issue, she said, during the discussion on the supplementary estimates. Listing out various steps taken by her government on the beach sand mining issue, the Chief Minister said she had banned all mineral mining activities in the state. Ms Jayalalithaa said a special team headed by Revenue Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi has been formed to inspect and verify the allegations of illegal mining in in Tuticorin district.

After Mr Bedi submitted a report to the government in this regards, the special team was also asked to conduct a study in Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari, Trichy and Madurai districts, where 71 quarries were operating. "Till then, I have ordered stopping of mineral mining activities," she added. Stating that the committee would submit its report soon, Ms Jayalalithaa said appropriate action would be taken against the wrong-doers and the government would take a policy decision on beach sand mining. She said her government would not be a mute spectator, if anyone found indulged in usurping the natural wealth of the State. The special team consists of officials of departments of revenue, police, environment and forests, geology and mining.

Petrol bombs hurled at 2 post offices in Chennai

Chennai, Oct 29: A four-member gang hurled petrol bombs at two post offices in the city in the wee hours of today. Police sources told UNI that no one was injured in the bomb attack that took place at Mylapore and Mandaveli post offices. Since the post offices were closed at the time of attack, some furnitures and digital boards and banners kept on the premises were damaged in the attack. Police said four bombs were hurled in the post offices. Another version said in all 15 bombs were hurled--nine in Mylapore and six in Mandaveli post office--of which a couple of them did not explode. The unexploded bombs were sent for forensic tests. Footages recorded in the CCTV cameras installed in the Mylapore post office revealed that four people were involved in the attack. Police have arrested one Umapathy, a functionary of the Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam, in connection with the attack on Mylapore Police station. A manhunt has been launched to nab the remaining three.

Police have tightened security in both the post offices following the attack. Security has also been tightened in other post offices and Central government installations, as the bombs were hurled in an apparent bid to exert pressure on the Centre to boycott the Commonwealth Meeting at Colombo next month. Several outfits have been staging various forms of agitations during the last few weeks to exert pressure on the Indian government to boycott the CHOGM meeting over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue. Even political parties in Tamil Nadu, including the ruling AIADMK and its arch-rival DMK, the DMDK, MDMK and PMK, spoke in one voice, demanding that India should boycott the meeting. An unanimous resolution was also adopted in the State Assembly in this regard on October 24 in deference to the wishes expressed by various political parties. The resolution, moved by Chief Minister and AIADMK Supremo J Jayalalithaa, urged the Indian Government to totally boycott next month's CHOGM meeting and take steps to expel Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth Committee till it devolves equal powers to Tamils on par with the Sinhalese. The resolution said there should not be even token participation from India and wanted India to convey its decision to Sri Lanka in this regard.

Sutta Kadhai: The surreal deal

Subu, the writer-director of Sutta Kadhai, has a superb eye for the absurd. The film is filled with borderline-surreal non sequiturs, some of which are downright Monty Pythonesque. A cop (Balaji Venugopal, who with his pencil moustache resembles a swashbuckling Ranjan-era villain) steps into the scene of a murder and gets down to his interrogation. His first question: What is your national bird? Elsewhere, another cop (Venkatesh Harinathan) asks the dead man’s offspring what the father was doing before he died. The answer: He was living.

We get comedies all year round, yet I manage — at most — a smirk, a grin, whereas I burst out laughing at the scene where the policeman played by Nasser sits down to demonstrate the drinking habits of people in Russia, Canada, South Africa... And the bits featuring re-enactments of scenarios from the Sambasivam Crime Comics are a scream. (The casting of the fearsome “Killer Kabali” is a sight joke in itself.)

The tea shop whose signboard in Tamil and English features slightly different names (Paradise/Paradesi), the obese man who asks his daughter if he is wearing a belt, the drunk at the bar who keeps slamming into a door... I could go on. The problem is that there’s no connective tissue. No, scratch that. The problem is that the director feels compelled to connect these bits through a “story,” and the plot, even at an hour and forty-five minutes, is a major drag.

We want more of those absurd sketches, and we’re saddled, instead, with a tribal woman (Lakshmi Priyaa) who wants to avenge her father, a quack (named Oliver Twist!) peddling potency pills, and a nutso “king” (MS Baskar) who’s a little too trigger-happy. Most unforgivably — especially given a sensibility so out-of-the-box — we get the old song-and-dance in a bar.

Still, I wouldn’t want to be too hard on a film that milks laughs from the ubiquitous P James. In a comedy culture that hinges almost entirely on one-liners, you’re grateful for something different, even if it’s only some of the time.

Genre: Absurdist comedy

Director: Subu

Cast: Balaji Venugopal, Venkatesh Harinathan, Lakshmi Priyaa

Storyline: A murder investigation... or something.

Bottomline: A drag of a story livened by some great absurd bits.

Big hopes from small buses in Chennai

Residents welcome mini bus service; seek prominent display of routes and timings

A day after the mini buses hit the streets of the city and its suburbs, residents are largely happy with the new service, while some concerns have been raised. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, on Wednesday, launched 50 buses in 20 routes.

While commuters who come within the operational area of the routes are happy that the ‘small buses’ ply through lanes neglected by the regular buses, some residents felt that the display of routes and timings could be more prominent.

Residents of the southern and western suburbs said the services should be extended to their areas as well.

The light green buses look neat from inside, with 27 seats. Separate seats have been allocated for women, the elderly and disabled. The height of the seats is less compared to that of the regular buses.

“The vehicle is comfortable and the buses stop wherever we hail them or want to get down,” said A. Govindarajalu, who was heading to Kumananchavadi from Perambur bus depot in bus route S61 which plies between Madhavaram and Retteri Junction.

K. Meena, who was travelling in S2 bus at Chromepet, felt that these services were long overdue. “Until now, regular bus services plied only till Hasthinapuram. Many like me would get down at Hasthinapuram and either take an autorickshaw or walk,” said the homemaker who lives in Tirumalai Nagar.

The drivers and conductors of the buses said that they have been getting a good response from commuters, especially during peak hours.

“We have been asked to drive the bus through the streets like an autorickshaw and stop whenever the commuter asks us to,” said A. Singaravadivelu, a driver on bus route S61.

Though the timings have not been fixed, there will be buses at least once every half an hour, said sources. “We did not know the route through which the bus travelled and the timing. They could have taken a few more days and launched the buses with boards, displaying the routes,” said Joshua, a college student at Perambur who boarded the mini bus.

Many residents complained that their localities had been left out. Residents of Chitlapakkam claimed that none of the new services connected their locality with Tambaram Sanatorium railway station. Similar is the situation in Nanganallur.

These residents have been making representations to the government, especially the Transport Department.

“We seek the restoration of the original services that connected the heart of our town with Tambaram Sanatorium and subsequently East Tambaram and Medavakkam,” said K.Narasimhan of Tirumagal Nagar, Chitlapakkam.

Emerging roads lure adventure bikers

Not very long ago, East Coast Road (ECR) was an automatic choice for most bikers seeking a short motorcycling adventure.

Now, it has to compete with a raft of roads that have come up in the suburbs.

The increase in roads suited for pleasure rides has influenced the way these bikers ride and bond with one another. It has led to more breakfast and night rides, which are short trips squeezed into brief breaks between busy schedules.

Bharath, a member of Nathari Sangam, a motley group of motorcyclists that swears by various two-wheeler brands, has noticed the Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road spur an interest in such rides among many of his comrades.

According to this 30-year-old software engineer, this road combines many advantages a biker can hope for. “It is wide and safe, free of traffic snarls, cut off from the bustle of city life, yet incredibly connected to arterial roads,” he says.

This stretch, which metro watchers count among roads that will trace the course of development in the suburbs, enables easy access to GST Road, OMR and ECR, and most importantly, ‘the new roads on the block’ — namely Vandalur-Walajabad Road and Outer Ring Road (ORR).  

Only a portion of the 62-km ORR project is complete and open to motorists, but weekend bikers are already drawn to the motorable stretch. Subhash Chandra Bose, a 63-year-old Bullet rider with 46 years of motorcycling memories with him, recently went on a group ride down the completed section of ORR from Vandalur to Nazarethpet. He thinks having an option of such roads adds zing to day trips.

Forty-five-year-old Sathish, a member of Roaring Riders, a Jawa and Yezdi group, has ‘discovered’ his stretch. “After travelling down GST Road, take a left at Singaperumal Koil and you have a road that seems made for quiet moments with your bike,” he says.

David Ebenezer, who rides with the Madras Bulls, enjoys night rides down OMR, but his adventure culminates in a cruise down the Chengalpattu bypass, which begins at Thiruporur.