Chennai / The New Indian Express
CHENNAI: IMD has retained the orange alert, which was issued for a few north coastal districts in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, for Monday. The alert was retained even with weather models suggesting the cyclonic system over the southeast Bay of Bengal is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada on Tuesday night. Tamil Nadu and Chennai may not witness heavy rainfall in November, said weather bloggers. Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, and
CHENNAI: The state government and Southern Railway have decided to lay the 30.2km fourth railway line between Tambaram and Chengalpattu on the eastern side (along GST Road) of the existing three lines, instead of the western side as originally planned in 2015. According to official sources, the change in alignment was driven by challenges related to land acquisition, interference from pillars of road overbridges and other site constraints that could delay the project. At present, the railways an
CHENNAI: GCC Mayor R Priya on Saturday said around 2,000 spots across the city have been identified with potholes and ward-wise funds have been allocated for patchwork. Major road works are scheduled to resume in January next year after the monsoon. She was speaking after inspecting monsoon preparedness in Royapuram zone. Since 2022, the corporation has upgraded stormwater drain infrastructure, changing the situation of water stagnation up to 10-15 days to clearing stagnated water within 24 hour
CHENNAI: A 11-year-old girl studying Class 5 in Greater Chennai Corporations (GCC) primary school in Puzhuthivakkam has been admitted to the Kalaignar Centenary Superspeciality Hospital (KCSH) in Guindy as she continued to face headache and nausea, due to a suspected minor hemorrhage in the brain, after she was beaten up by her school headmistress K Indira Gandhi earlier this month for spilling ink. The headmistress has since been suspended by GCC. A CT scan report from a private laboratory, whi
CHENNAI: In view of heavy inflows from catchment areas, the Water Resources Department (WRD) on Friday increased the discharge from Poondi reservoir from 4,500 cusecs to 9,500 cusecs. Officials said releases may be further increased depending on inflow and rainfall in the coming days. Following the outflow, a flood alert has been issued for more than 30 villages along the Kosasthalaiyar river, including Nambakkam, Krishnapuram, Atrambakkam, Odhapai and Thamaraipakkam. As of Friday, the dams stor
Stress has become an integral part of everyday existence, making it hard to avoid. Most people know that stress affects mental health, but few know how closely the skin shows emotional stress. Dermatologists now say that stress isnt simply an emotion; it can alter the bodys chemistry in ways that exacerbate skin problems like acne, psoriasis, and eczema. How stress affects the skin Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, is released by your body when youre stressed. When cortisol levels are
CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday reopened the renovated Tholkappia Poonga, also known as Adyar Eco Park, at Raja Annamalaipuram for public use. The 58-acre park, developed to conserve the Adyar estuary ecosystem, was upgraded at a cost of Rs 42.45 crore under the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT). The restored eco-park features a redesigned entrance arch, viewing tower, visitor area, childrens play zone, snack counters, new restrooms, open theatre, CCTV surveillance, and walkin
Marks dont translate to anything significant, nor do they define a childs potential. While the cycle of examination and grades has been rewarding for some, many are overwhelmed by this pressure. There is something trivial about this grade system, and academics voice the need to explore more to analyse a childs ability. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Chrysalis, a research and development organisation working with schools, came up with a digital platform called ChrysalisAI, which
In the narrow lanes of Chintadripet, on the Cooum river bend, children in colourful jerseys run and form a narrow line. One can hear a familiar rhythm neatly arranged steel vessels containing hot idlis and sambar, the clank of a steel lever starting an autorickshaw, and the Cooum river releasing its toxins. Tucked between these narrow lanes and the everyday survival struggles of the neighbourhood, there is another known sound the thud of gloves meeting punching bags, the sharp breaths of focus
Fear takes over when patients hear liver surgery. Often, patients imagine the procedure as extremely risky, but medicine has improved. Today, with meticulous planning and using simple scans like MRI and CT scans to map the liver in advance, and in some cases deliberately blocking a small portion of its blood supply ahead of time, so that the remaining liver strengthens before surgery. With the deployment of state-of-the art tools in the operating room, there is less loss of blood and clear view.
The first cry of a newborn often marks the arrival of life. While it brings joy and the baby is showered with care and attention, recovery of mothers is often sidelined. Childbirth leaves behind a trail of physical strain, hormonal imbalances, and emotional hardships. According to health experts, a majority of Indian mothers experience postpartum depression. Globally, however, postpartum care has evolved into an essential service. In countries like South Korea, Japan, and France, specialised in-
CHENNAI: A monitor lizard, a species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, was allegedly beaten to death by a staff of the Madras Cricket Club (MCC) in Chennai on Thursday evening. The incident occurred inside the club premises near Chepauk, and the reptile died before rescuers could reach the spot. According to preliminary accounts, the lizard, about 3 ft long, had strayed into the clubs area when a staffer struck it with a blunt object, apparently out of fear. Member
CHENNAI: Hoax box threats were received at 20 private schools in Anna Nagar, Nolambur, Paruthipattu, and Pallikaranai via email on Wednesday night. Among them, four branches of a school in Chennai received threats via mail. Police sources said that the school management saw the emails only on Thursday morning. They alerted the local police and the bomb detection and disposal squad was dispatched to search the premises. A case has been registered and an inquiry is under way. Separate cases have b
CHENNAI: In a victory to the state government in taking possession of 103 grounds of land in Purasawalkam in Chennai, the Madras High Court has set aside a single judges order that quashed the 1985 land acquisition proceedings. A bench of justices S M Subramaniam and C Saravanan passed the orders while allowing the appeal filed by CMD of TNHB.The appeal was filed for setting aside the order passed on September 14, 2022 on the petitions filed by the Administrator General and Official Trustee (AGO
CHENNAI: A monitor lizard, a species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, was allegedly beaten to death by a staff member of the Madras Cricket Club (MCC) in Chennai on Thursday evening. The incident occurred inside the club premises near Chepauk, and the reptile reportedly died before rescuers could reach the spot. According to preliminary accounts, the lizard, measuring roughly about three feet long, had strayed into the clubs area when a staffer struck it with a bl
CHENNAI: A thick layer of white froth covered nearly 1.5km of the citys coastline between Pattinapakkam and Srinivasapuram on Wednesday. Officials said the frothing followed intense rainfall over the Adyar basin, which increased river discharge into the sea. The flow, mixed with untreated sewage rich in phosphates, created a churning effect at the Adyar estuary that resulted in the formation of froth. Despite the government spending hundreds of crores on restoring Chennais waterways, Adyar, Coou
CHENNAI: Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Wednesday conducted a surprise inspection at the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) at Ripon Buildings to review the citys monsoon preparedness. He also inspected flood relief and restoration works at various parts of the city. During the visit to ICCC, he interacted with the public through the helpline number 1913, received complaints and instructed officials to take immediate action. He also reviewed the movement of traffic across
CHENNAI: Days after an explosion at a house where country-made firecrackers were stored claimed four lives, Avadi police commissioner K Shankar on Wednesday transferred the inspector and sub-inspector of Pattabiram Police Station. According to sources, inspector Vijaya Krishna Raj and SI Harish have been moved to Kattur police station in the Red Hills range. The action follows blast on Deepavali eve at Thandurai in Pattabiram, where a stockpile of illegally manufactured and stored country-made c
CHENNAI: Following heavy rainfall in the catchment areas , the Water Resources Department (WRD) on Wednesday stepped up the release of surplus water from major city reservoirs, including Poondi and Chembarambakkam. The discharge from Poondi reservoir was increased from 2,347 cusecs to 4,500 cusecs, while the outflow from Chembarambakkam rose from 100 cusecs to 500 cusecs. Officials clarified that it was a regulated release and there was no reason for the public to panic. WRD and revenue official
Brushes dip into vibrant colours, strokes dance across paper, and shapes emerge in ways both unexpected and profound. Somewhere between the patterns and the shades, independence finds its voice. At Tattva 2025, a two-day annual art and photography exhibition, every brush stroke becomes a conversation one that speaks of compassion, pride, and joy of an artist crafting on their own. Marking its 25 years, V-Excel Educational Trust brings back Tattva for its fourth edition. The exhibition will show
The walls of Chithiraalayam revived a legacy in just 20 frames that breathe with stories of mythology, cinema, and time. Each painting, created over half a century ago, whispers about the man behind the canvas and carries echoes of his unique style, even thirty-six years after his brush stopped painting strokes. The artworks are by the late art director P Gangadharachari, popularly known as Kalai Ganga, for his stint in the Tamil film industry. He is best known for creating backdrops for histori
Chennai has a special bond with books. Whether its a cosy library space opening onto the view of the azure sky and streets hidden by green canopies, or older rooms with pale walls and stuffy racks of books, the city has an abundance of spaces for bibliophiles. For many, childhoods were eager visits to nearby lending libraries, a wander into the extensive rows of bookstores with their parents, and a mandatory visit to book fairs. It also meant devouring more collections and discovering hidden rea
Sivanvoyal (Sivanvayal) is a small village located in the Thiruvallur district, with historical connections to the Pallava era. According to epigraphists, the antiquity of the name of this village goes back to the Pallava times, as it is mentioned in an inscription of the reign of a late Pallava king named Dantivarman. The name Sivanvayal means entrance (vayal or vasal) of Siva, and there is an ancient Siva temple here. This temple, wherein the Siva Lingam is worshipped as Sivandeeshwarar, is no
Atsu (the lead of Ghost of Yotei) and I (the player of the game) are similar in one fundamental way: We are both holding on to something that is slowly losing the spark it once had, and are kept alive only by the amount of time weve already sunk into it. On some level, we both know were only doing this because it feels pointless to move on now. For Atsu, the struggle is quite profound. We see the hatred that drives her entire life to defeat the Yotei Six that assist Lord Saito is continuously ch
CHENNAI : A family of four, including two children, were found dead at their residence in Injambakkam, Neelankarai, on Wednesday morning. Preliminary inquiries revealed that the man, who had run into severe financial difficulties, had killed himself, while his wife and two children are suspected to have died from asphyxiation on Tuesday night. The deceased have been identified by police as J. Siranjeevi Dhamothara Gupta (45), his wife S. Revathi (36), and their two children, S. Rithvik (15) and
CHENNAI: A month after a 41-year-old woman died after falling into an uncovered silt catch pit in Choolaimedu, police have registered a case of negligence. However, no individual has been named as an accused yet, police sources said. The incident occurred in the early hours of September 2. The deceased, Deepa (41), lived with her 20-year-old daughter and her mother and worked as a domestic aide. She was returning home after visiting a nearby shop when she accidentally fell into the open pit. The
CHENNAI: The Avadi Police on Monday arrested three people in connection with the explosion that killed four men at Thandurai in Pattabiram on Sunday afternoon. The blast, allegedly triggered by firecrackers manufactured and stored illegally, caused a portion of the house to collapse, trapping the victims inside. Police identified the accused as A Vijayan (26), S Arumugam (50) and S Thomodharan (41). They were booked under provisions of the Explosives Act and remanded in judicial custody on Monda
CHENNAI: A sum of Rs 2 lakh was withdrawn from the account of a senior citizen while she was at the bank and pleading with officials to take action quickly as she had realised she was scammed. The victim (identity withheld) has registered a complaint with the Greater Chennai Police. In her complaint, the victim said around two weeks ago, she called the SBIs Besant Nagar branch after getting a number on the web, to facilitate a personal finance transaction. However, the call was routed to a 1800-
CHENNAI: With the onset of the northeast monsoon, Chennai recorded an average rainfall of up to 4 cm on Tuesday, with heavy showers reported in the southern parts of the city. Medavakkam received the highest rainfall at 10 cm, followed by Okkiyam Thoraipakkam (9 cm), Sholinganallur and Kannagi Nagar (8 cm each), Injambakkam (6 cm), and Ayapakkam (5 cm). Light showers were recorded in areas such as MGR Nagar, Ambattur, and Kolathur. Parts of the city witnessed water stagnation, including Gokilamb
CHENNAI: In view of the steady rise in inflow following heavy rain in catchment areas, the Water Resources Department (WRD) on Tuesday began releasing 100 cusecs of water from the Chembarambakkam lake, one of the main drinking water sources for Chennai and its suburbs. According to WRD data, the storage level in the lake stood at 2.653 tmcft on Tuesday out of its full capacity of 3.645 tmcft. This marks a major improvement compared to the same period last year, when the storage was 1.378 tmcft.
CHENNAI: Four government medical college hospitals and its affiliated institutions in Chennai reported around 150 firework burn injury cases starting from Deepavali day to the next morning. The Government Ophthalmic Hospital, Egmore, received 39 cases on Deepavali day. Dr MR Chitra, director, Government Ophthalmic Hospital, said five cases required sutures. Three patients suffered corneal tears, but there may be no threat of losing vision. Dr A Aravind, Dean, Government Stanley Medical College H
CHENNAI: A 38-year-old man from Gummidipoondi was arrested for allegedly murdering his wife two months ago, sealing her body inside a plastic drum and burying it near a riverbank. The crime came to light after the womans brother visited her house on Monday and found her missing. Police identified the accused as C Silambarasan, a painter, and the deceased as S Priya (26). The couple has two sons, and Silambarasan often quarrelled with his wife suspecting her fidelity. An argument between the coup
IN the citys ever-evolving foodscape, where new cafs bloom each week and high-end restaurants stretch their menus across continents, one canteen-style restaurant in Mylapore quietly stands apart. There are no tongue-twister dish names, no imported sauces or elaborate plating here; just the familiar aroma of freshly ground masalas wafting through the air, and the kind of food that feels like a conversation with home. For its growing community, Kaylir Canteen is not merely a place to eat but a pla
In the 21st century, the world faces three interconnected challenges: climate change, obesity, and undernutrition. Together, these issues have been described by the Lancet Commission as the Global Syndemic, a confluence of pandemics driven by socioeconomic forces that threaten both human health and the environment. At the heart of this crisis lies our dietary patterns, which directly influence non-communicable diseases (NCDs), nutritional deficiencies, and the environmental impact of food system
We often hear people say that art begins where words end. Whether its the soft whisper of pencil on paper or the glowing touch of a digital pen on screen, every stroke, every colour, and every line brings art to life. Its easy to forget how much discipline breathes beneath creativity and thats what Inktober set out to remind us of when Jake Parker first launched it in October 2009. What began as one artists personal challenge to ink a little every day soon became a ritual of imagination for thou
CHENNAI: Chennai International Airport faced operational disruptions on Monday night and Tuesday morning, as post-Deepavali haze caused delay for few flights and a suspected technical glitch resulted in a SpiceJet flight aborting take off. Heavy smoke from Deepavali fireworks on Monday reduced visibility across the airfield, forcing air-traffic controllers to stagger departures and arrivals. Airport sources said the disruptions affected at least 15 flights, including seven arrivals, leading to d
CHENNAI: The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai has issued a red and orange alert for parts of north coastal Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Mayiladuthurai, forecasting isolated spells of extremely heavy rainfall (over 20 cm) on Wednesday as the well-marked low-pressure area in the southwest Bay of Bengal is set to intensify into a depression. The alert will extend into Thursday as the system moves west-northwestwards
Close your eyes. Inhale. What do you smell? Not the grand, obvious things, but the whispers in the air, the ghosts of festivities from the past and the present. For a festival of lights, it is remarkable how deeply Deepavali is etched in our minds often as a potpourri of smells. CE set out to bottle this essence, asking Chennaiites to share the scents that define their Deepavali. The responses were not just a list of aromas, but a collection of core memories and personal histories from across cu
Deepavali and the crackling of fireworks have been inseparable for as long as we know. Court verdicts and green crackers have not been able to silence the din, despite environmental concerns from gasping cities like Delhi, one of the largest consumers of fireworks. Were celebrations in India always noisy and bright? Did gunpowder creep into only Hindu festivals like Deepavali? Art gives us ample pictorial evidence of how ancient is the joy of watching the night sky light up with a burst of hues.
On October 10th , Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, a member of the far-right Islamic group known as the Taliban, held a press conference in New Delhi at which no women journalists were present. A second press conference was held two days later, this time with women included, with their absence at the original event being labelled a technical glitch owing to short notice. The Taliban is infamous for its draconian practices, and Afghanistan under its control is a place where womens right
CHENNAI: The Tambaram City Municipal Corporation (TCMC) has stepped up preparations to tackle the northeast monsoon, with 20 relief camps, 10,000 sandbags, and other equipment kept ready to manage possible flooding in low-lying areas. At a review meeting held at the Pallavaram zonal office, MSME minister TM Anbarasan directed officials to expedite ongoing flood prevention works and ensure completion before the onset of heavy rain. He expressed displeasure over the slow progress, noting only 14 o
CHENNAI: A tunnelling milestone was achieved on Friday as CMRL completed a breakthrough at Mandaveli station on Corridor 3 of the Phase II expansion. The upline tunnel boring machine (TBM) Vaigai broke through after a 610-day drive from Greenways station, completing a 775-metre stretch beneath one of the citys most densely built-up areas. The works form part of the 45.8-km Corridor 3, which will link Madhavaram to SIPCOT. T Archunan, director (projects), CMRL, along with officials from the agenc
CHENNAI: For over 10 days, residents of Pattalam and Pulianthope said they have been dealing with drinking water contaminated by sewage, leading to many residents falling sick. The residents said several parts of Pulianthope, including Munnuswamy Nagar, Parthasarathy Street, and Guruswamy Nagar, have been affected. The recent rain has also led to water getting stagnated, and mixing with sewage, particularly in the Pattalam area. According to GCCs ICCC data, within 24 hours since October 17 morni
CHENNAI: Over 15 lakh people have left Chennai over the past few days, travelling to various parts of Tamil Nadu and other states by train, government buses and private omni buses ahead of Deepavali on Monday. This includes a large number of guest workers heading home for both Deepavali and Chhath Puja, which will be celebrated between October 25 and 28. Around 97 trains departing from Chennai Central and 85 from Chennai Egmore and Tambaram together can accommodate approximately 3.75 lakh passen
CHENNAI: The usually bad weekend traffic turned worse on Friday as people leaving the city for their home towns brought vehicular movement almost to a standstill. The stretch between Mogappair and Ambattur was heavily congested after schools and offices wound up for the day. Commuters said a 5km stretch between Mogappair West and Ambattur Industrial Estate that normally takes an hour to cover took three hours on Friday, as they had to wait for about 45 minutes at every traffic signal. A resident
CHENNAI: With the northeast monsoon turning active over Tamil Nadu and a fresh low-pressure system brewing over the southeast Arabian Sea, Chennai is poised to receive multiple spells of rain, particularly during the night and early morning hours, just when Deepavali firecracker activity peaks. While the bursting of crackers generally leads to a sharp spike in PM2.5 and nitrogen oxide levels, meteorologists say the prevailing weather conditions may help suppress pollution buildup this festive we
CHENNAI: A 32-year-old trans woman was attacked with a sickle by a group outside a commercial complex near Kelambakkam on Wednesday night. The police said the victim, Mahalakshmi of Perumbakkam, was standing near a commercial complex in Ekattur when another trans woman, Suji from Kannagi Nagar along with her husband Prakash (30) and two others arrived at the spot in an autorickshaw, and attacked her with a sickle. The group allegedly had a long-standing dispute with Mahalakshmi. Mahalakshmi sust
CHENNAI: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Thursday said it has seized 320 kg of ganja worth Rs 2 crore from a truck near Karanodai toll plaza on the outskirts of Chennai and arrested two persons, including the driver. The suspects have been identified as Abdul Ebrahim (58) of Gerugambakkam in Chennai and M Madhan Babu (29) of Ambattur. The NCB officials said on October 12, based on specific information, the officers of Chennai Zonal Unit conducted an operation and intercepted a truck having
CHENNAI: Though the Greater Chennai Corporation invited tenders in September for the construction of new bus shelters across 24 locations in the city using councillors ward development funds, a ground visit by TNIE found at least five of these locations already have sufficient shelters in place. A few of the councillors that TNIE spoke to even said they were unaware of such proposals in their wards. During a visit to around 17 of these locations proposed for the new shelters, it was found that f
CHENNAI: The three-day International Trade Fair and Conference on Wind Energy will be held from October 29 to 31 at the Chennai Trade Centre. This will be the seventh edition of the global event. Union ministers Pralhad Joshi and Sripad Yesso Naik will inaugurate the trade fair, which aims to showcase the latest technologies and trends in the wind energy sector. Addressing reporters, Saravanan Manickam, vice chairman of Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (IWTMA), said, With over 350 e

21 C