Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under R.N.I 53640/91
Vol. XXIX No. 23, March 16-31 2020
Our Readers Write
Managing City traffic
You have highlighted the woes of city traffic and ways to keep it under control (MM, February 1st). There are a few simple measures that can be taken to manage the traffic better.
Synchronisation of traffic lights will enable traffic to move more efficiently and is applicable when two traffic lights are located close to one another. Examples are Anna Salai in Saidapet and C.P. Ramaswami Road at the locations of St. Mary’s Road and R.A. Puram 2nd Main Road intersections.
It is not uncommon to see traffic blocking the ‘intersection’ in many places during peak hours. Traffic along Anna Salai will occupy the entire space at the Eldams Road/Theyagoraya Road junction when, in fact, it is the green lights for the former two roads. This is because vehicle move along Anna Salai when they get the green but since the traffic is so heavy, they are still in the intersection when the signal changes to red.
A simple solution to the above problems is to reduce the timings for each phase of green and red. In other words, the ‘cycle’ time needs to be reduced. All that is needed is to study the traffic and a little experimentation. More importantly what is also needed is an interest by the traffic authorities.
You have highlighted the Metro and the need to shift two-wheeler and car owners to this form of public transport and have mentioned that the fares must be comparable to the transportation costs that vehicle owners presently incur.
One simple way to do this is to offer a deep discount for office-goers and others who regularly commute from home to place of work. Presently the Metro does have a point-to-point travel card at a discount of 20 per cent. This can be increased to as high as 50 per cent for a limited period and the response seen. The trick is to offer that discount that will fill the Metro during the peak hours.
I am sure that there are other simple and easy-to-implement suggestions to manage our city’s traffic. I encourage other readers to share their ideas. After all, it is our city!
B. Gautham
137, Wallajah Road
Chennai 600 002.
Ranji veteran
I happened to get a copy of Madras Musings (Dec. 16th, 2019) in which the article by Karthik Bhatt was published under the title “Recollection of a Ranji Trophy veteran”. This article has referred to one of the oldest surviving Ranji Trophy cricketers, Group Captain S. Ganesan who had the distinction of representing two domestic teams and Services. In this article, it was mentioned Ganesan had his early education in Vellore and studied in Voorhees High School. I am an octogenerian. I lived in Vellore initially with my parents and later with my family for over sixty years. I had my early education also at Voorhees Higher Secondary School. In Vellore, there were two cricket teams, one Vellore Cricket Club (VCC), started in the year 1932 by late Duraisamy Pillai, and another was Vellore Recreational Club (VRC) which came into being in 1946.
The daily practice and matches used to be held in the Municipal play grounds and in 1964, the Government constructed a sports stadium in a portion of the ground. I am of the view that Mr. Ganesan, in his early study in Vellore, could have played for Vellore Cricket Club. VCC has produced Madras State cricketers who had played in the Ranji Trophy tournaments also like late V.R. Neelakantan and V.J. Kumaraswamy (who is with us now). Vellore Cricket Club has released a Souvenir in the year 2018 named Namma Vellore, VCC-80 in which in the article “Vellore Miscellany” with 22 items of facts about Vellore on men and matters states, “M. Ganesan (Gani) who was born in Mettur lived in Vellore. A right-hand batsman and an off-break bowler, he represented Madras and Services in the Ranji Trophy”. I am very happy to learn through this article in Madras Musings, Ganesan is now 90 years and is following sports events even now. I wish and pray more happy and healthy years to Ganesan.
P.S. Subrahmanian
No. 37 (Old No. 50)
Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai
Mylapore
Chennai 600 004
Schoolmates
I read the article ‘Profile of an Architect’ with great pride because Sheila is from my school, although a junior. The photo of her in the Bharatnatyam pose evoked many memories of the little girl I knew. I remember her so well because her father Col. Pathy had introduced the Army band in our school’s Annual Sports Day! Incidentally, when I married an army officer I realized that the Army personnel who trained us in some drills and marchpast was a Havildar and not a senior commissioned ‘officer’ as we believed! But we girls had a great time all the same.
Thanks for this article and my best wishes to Sheila and her family of architects!
Usha Sundar
Plot No 43, 24th Cross St.
Padmavathi Nagar
Chennai 600126
