Egmore eccentricities

Electronic display at Egmore Station

Those of you who follow these ramblings of The Man from Madras Musings would know that MMM is quite fond of Egmore Station, though he would be the first to admit that it is not what it was. The other day MMM was happy to note that the railway authorities were equally glad to see MMM for, when he entered the station, he saw this electronic signboard. You get the message too, don’t you? The Indian Railways, it said, welcomed MMM. And in case MMM did not get it the first time, it welcomed him again. And for good measure, again, and again and again. And then once more, if MMM is not mistaken.

The effusive welcome notwithstanding, MMM was keen to know the platform from which his train was to depart. What with contending with a political meeting on the way, MMM was rather short on time. And to compound it, he was travelling with his good lady who believes in arriving at a railway station when the intended train is just about leaving it. But of train arrivals and departures there was not a scrap of information. The electronic display board had been put to good use welcoming passengers, but as to more important information that it needed to offer there was none. The only option was to listen to the public address system, which probably had been installed when the station was inaugurated. “Bark bowow,” it went. And then “Bark bark bark bowow, bark bark.” There were lots more of it, but MMM will spare you the details leaving you with the gist. You had to sharpen your ears to the utmost to make out what was being said. Eventually, after repeatedly listening to it, this almost uniformly canine language revealed some syllables that could be comprehended. Based on this, MMM made his way to his platform, his good lady boldly leading the way.

The path was not smooth and even the good lady, who is not to be easily daunted, was somewhat shaken. The station provides, as you know, escalators for going up but not for coming down and, so, while progress is fast in one direction, it slows down considerably in the other. The stairways, though wide, are bottlenecks. These tend to become more bottlenecked when someone decides to regurgitate (to put it mildly) all along the steps. Of cleaning staff there was no sign and so the recycled matter remained where it was, with passengers and porters negotiating it with care, hands and kerchiefs pressed to the nostrils and eyes trying not to look.

MMM and his good lady made it, or just about.

Agony in Anna Nagar

The Man from Madras Musings was strongly reminded of Hansel and Gretel. Those two intelligent children, if you recollect, had marked their route into the forest with pebbles and had thereby managed to return safely much to the delight of their father but to the distress of their stepmother. Standing at a crossroads at Anna Nagar, MMM was of the view that he too ought to have done the same. But hang on, MMM can see that you, dear reader (to borrow from Jane Eyre), are confused. What is MMM coming to these days, you wonder, and rightfully so. After all, these are not the Meanderings of a Misguided Man.

To put everything into perspective, let MMM begin from the beginning which, as the song had it, is a very good place to start. MMM had to be at Anna Nagar and, so, off he went. He dodged a few trenches, all courtesy Metrorail, drove under the “heritage” Anna Arches, which are still standing thanks to historically aware people and, presto, there he was, in Anna Nagar. This is not really a locality that MMM visits all that often, but his impression of the place was always one of broad roads and tree-lined avenues. Not any longer, MMM sadly noted. The broad roads are now much narrower, thanks to massive construction activity of the Metro or Monorail or a flyover or some other public transport facility which is going to make our city truly Chennapore. As for the tree-lined avenues, they are all debris-lined, as every second house is in the process of metamorphosing into a multi-storeyed complex, complete with a certain number of b, h & ks and also swimming pool, gym and clubhouse. Enough to make the place Madrattan.

But MMM digresses, always a known weakness of his. The crux of his story is the return journey. His errand completed, MMM prepared to make his way back. It was then that he thought of the siblings Hansel and Gretel and realised a moment later that even they would have been flummoxed, for Anna Nagar now operates through a series of complicated one-ways, where the way up is not the way down and never do the twain meet. MMM felt more like Abhimanyu, the Mahabharata hero who knew how to enter a certain enemy formation but not how to exit from it. The civic body that claims to run our city (or are the Police responsible for the signboards?) had thoughtfully placed several signboards at various places to guide those driving around Anna Nagar. ‘Keep Left’ said one, another admonished MMM and others of his ilk not to mix drinking and driving. A third informed MMM that speed thrilled, but killed. But as to how to leave Anna Nagar there was not a single sign or it missed MMM’s eye. He was later pointed to a couple of signs that gave directions, but these were so small that it was impossible to make out what they were stating, especially while driving.

MMM had to resort to stopping at every junction and ask for directions. This was much to the irritation of those in vehicles behind who, it appeared, were in a tearing hurry. Amidst the honking MMM could barely make out what passers-by were telling him, but he understood enough to drive on. MMM crossed several of Anna Nagar’s famed residential blocks and as he was passing Block X it dawned on him that Z should surely be the last block and after that he should be out of the maze. But he did not know that Anna Nagar was the grid which was the inspiration for Microsoft’s Excel.

After Z there began AA, AB and so on endlessly. A wrong turn near AA (or was it AB?) brought MMM back to where he had started. He had to stop for directions once more. Finally, after several lefts and rights and ups and downs, he could see the twin arches in the distance. A wave of fondness for the two heritage structures poured over MMM. He wishes them well and hopes that they will stay on forever, to guide those lost in Anna Nagar.

Metro Rail continues bulldozing heritage

The Metro Rail project is on a fast track and has rightfully earned plaudits for the speedy execution that is underway. Unfortunately, in doing so, it is exacting a heavy price on the city’s heritage. In the past we have had occasion to highlight the potential for damage to historic structures as drilling and other work continues in their proximity. Now, for the first time, Metro Rail has completely demolished a heritage building in full – one of the structures in the Government Teachers’ Training College campus, Saidapet.

The two-storeyed structure, to an unusual semi-circular plan, with arched windows right along its periphery, was reminiscent of the Ice House in several ways. It was part of the more than 150-year-old campus and was easily its most visible building as it was closest to the road. Chennai Metro Rail has claimed that this is not a heritage structure as it is not listed specifically in the Justice Padmanabhan Committee report. It therefore asserts that the demolition did not need permission of the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) which was formed by the Government and undertook to protect the buildings listed by the Padmanabhan Committee.

That this is not a correct interpretation of the High Court’s ruling will be made clear to anyone who reads the Padmanabhan Committee report. Listed in page 653, the notings cover the entire campus. The report has it that the buildings (note the plural) are of the British period and “located within a campus. Few buildings are maintained fairly, while one is in serious deterioration.” The last named is a building with a spire and now houses the Mother Teresa University. Ironically, the structure that has been demolished is one that was in a good condition and which had been recently restored after a fashion by the PWD. The Padmanabhan Committee had also considered this campus to be of Grade 1 importance which meant it is a stretch, complex or area of State or National importance… “They are characterised by their size, length or number of buildings that form a group – which is usually large; with special architectural character or features; and of a certain position in history which assigns them that importance.” By its very ranking, it is clear that the Teachers’ College campus was considered as a whole and Metro Rail had no business to selectively decide which buildings could be demolished.

The deed has been done. But what we are left wondering about is the complete silence of the HCC and its parent body, the CMDA, both of which were mandated by the High Court to protect heritage buildings. In fact, the arguments that we have presented above ought to have been put forward by the HCC so that the demolition could have been prevented.

But it is a well-known fact that this body chooses to remain silent on most matters and has, at most, stirred itself only to give approvals for demolition.

In this context, it is worthwhile quoting from the Padmanabhan Committee report. “The committee with heavy heart points out that neither the public nor the administration nor the authorities are conscious of the value of maintaining the heritage buildings, places of historic importance or aesthetic value and popular places of worship, which is a disappointment. All of them will have to be educated and informed of the values of such historical and monumental buildings. The administration has to change its attitude on these aspects, by appropriate and stringent measures. The committee members are also pained to note that several heritage and ancient buildings have been brought down by the public as well as the authorities and they continue unabated.”

Sage words indeed, which unfortunately have fallen on deaf ears.

Departmental conflicts damn pedestrianisation

The cries of adulation with which the Corporation of Chennai’s budget were received have hardly died down when conflict of authority among various departments and ministries in the State have begun to put paid to several plans. Among the casualties is the proposal to create cycle tracks and pedestrian pathways, both of which were the more creative elements of the budget.

It will be recalled that the Mayor in his budget proposal had envisaged a cycle track all along the beach, beginning from Beach Station and terminating at Foreshore Estate. This was to be extended later to the southern limits of the city, based on the success of the prototype. It is now learned that the Police has objected to this idea, stating that it is not feasible given the current traffic situation.

It is reliably learnt that the pedestrian zones too are also likely to be vetoed. If such conflicts are left to go unresolved there may be no improvement in our traffic situation in the near future.

In such a scenario, what is urgently needed is an overall authority that can be an umbrella body over all stakeholders. It can take into account diverse points of view and then come to a decision which, when announced, will be binding on all parties, irrespective of what their original views were. And Chennai already has such a body in the form of the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority, CUMTA. Why not assign pedestrian and non-motorised transport issues also to it?

The Tamil Nadu Assembly had in November 2011 approved the setting up of a Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA). It was a development that was rather late in the day and which ought to have perhaps been set up in the 1980s when the MRTS was planned. Still, it was better late than never and it was hoped that, unlike its rather unwieldy name, it would live up to what was expected of it. Since then, however, not much has been heard of CUMTA or its activities.

Chief among CUMTA’s responsibilities was the preparing of a comprehensive and integrated public transport plan for the city, which included all modes – train, bus and the Metro. It was to also look into the setting up of a common ticket and fare structure to facilitate seamless commuting, something that is in existence in most world-class cities today. Like the CMDA, the CUMTA was to, chiefly, have a planning function and oversee the work of several agencies involved in the running of the transport systems. It would also periodically revise and upgrade its plans. To be headed by the Transport Minister, it had the Chief Urban Planner (Transport) of the CMDA as its Member Secretary. Others on board were the Chief Secretary and the Vice Chairman, CMDA (both ranking as Vice-Chairpersons), the Secretaries of the Departments of Finance, Transport, Home, Housing & Urban Development, and the General Manager of the Southern Railway.

Given such a heavyweight composition, CUMTA could ideally take on the sorting out of the present conflict between the Corporation and the police. It also ought to realise that motorised or rail transport need not be the sole solutions to Chennai’s transport problems. It would be best if one of CUMTA’s objectives were the improvement of pedestrian safety and comfort. Studies have shown that a large chunk of road traffic could be eliminated if short journeys could be accomplished on foot. If so, why not look into this aspect seriously and see if some solution to accommodate pedestrian and cyclists’ interests can be arrived at?

Library lore…

Come summer and The Man from Madras Musings finds his thoughts increasingly straying towards these storehouses of books. The cool interiors, the hushed silence and the presence of similar knowledge-seeking minds fill MMM with a sense of calm. And that is needed in larger doses when it comes to summer when the heat, ruffled tempers, and the dust make for heightened stress and distress. But MMM is sorry to say that libraries, like nostalgia, are not what they used to be.

Take for instance this bibliotheque funded and run by Old Blighty. MMM was a member from the time he was a child, and a singularly cherubic one at that, in case he has not mentioned it before. In that era, and for many years after, this was a sanctuary of sorts. Even the most boisterous of children would be awed by the tomes and postpone the inevitable coughs and sneezes for a more appropriate time. But, alas, all that is a thing of the past. Some intelligent soul decided that the place needed to be livened up and the first thing that was done was the installation of bright yellow wooden flooring. Not a soul evidently bothered to consider that footfalls on wood can make for loud noises. And that is precisely what occurred. Those wishing to read in peace and quiet now have to do so amidst a continuous grating noise in the background and several members walking around, making sounds over which they have no control.

The next addition was a meeting space and conversation area. In the middle of a library! Talk shows became frequent affairs and it was most disconcerting to read, say, a Wodehouse while a voice in the background intoned about the economic crisis. The last straw was when the old staff was replaced with new ones who had no idea about library etiquette. There are now phones installed within the reading area and the staff has to frequently answer calls and talk into them for long periods of time. That puts paid to silence of any kind. And, as a consequence, members now think they can answer calls on their cell phones as well!

Because of all this, MMM let his membership lapse, after almost four decades during which he had transferred it to whichever city he had lived in. A sad parting, but then you need to move with the times or if not at least move away from them. But that is not the end of the story.

The other day, MMM was in a library of a hallowed club in the city. A member who appeared to be in communion with his immortal soul for over thirty minutes with eyes shut suddenly sprang to life and began talking into his cell phone. “I am in the library,” he roared and continued talking. Unable to bear it any longer, MMM walked up to him and indicated by gesture that he ought to go out to speak on his phone. “The club rule is that my phone should be on silent mode when I am in the library,” he said. “Which it is. It does not say anywhere that I too ought to be silent.” So much for civilisation. MMM walked away with the consolation that at least in this library, unlike the library in another hallowed club, breakfast is not served to members!

Asking for more…

The Man from Madras Musings is certain that you have all heard of the six-faced, spear-wielding Hindu God of War. In recent years, as you also doubtless know, He as lent his name to a chain of eateries that became famous for serving what is known as fast food – of the South Indian variety. Coffee was the beverage for which the outlets were best known and it was said that most patrons stepped in for coffee and stayed on for more. MMM was one of the faithful.

There were certain drawbacks, of course. Most of the branches had standing room only. And in the few where you got seats, the serving staff would hurry you over your food with word and gesture. The idea was that the food was relatively inexpensive and of a high quality and so the chain survived by making sure it had a high turnover of patrons, throughout the day. No leisurely browsing and sluicing here, if you get MMM’s meaning. On certain bad days, those waiting to be seated at tables would be let loose into the dining area and take strategic positions behind the occupied seats. From there they would glower at those already seated and all except the most hardy (or short-sighted) would wilt under these glares. Most finished their meals in record time. But it was all taken in good spirit; after all, this was fast food.

Then the prices began to rise. This too was understood by most. Inflation was to be blamed, they said, as they sipped the still delectable coffee. It is only when the portions began to become smaller that most of the devout following saw red. Does ‘fast food’ also mean pulling a fast one over customers, they have begun to wonder. And none more so than MMM. The coffee tumblers are becoming smaller by the day and as for the coffee inside, it is only those with exceptionally good eyesight who can locate it.

The smallness of the helpings hit MMM rather hard on the day he travelled by the double-decker train and of which journey you got a full description in the last instalment of this column. Knowing full well that catering on board was by the Railways and whose culinary skills had not exactly impressed MMM, he decided to buy his breakfast at the six-faced spear-wielding God of War’s eatery which has an outlet at the station. Pongal was what MMM ordered and, he was gratified to be given a fairly large packet. How wrong they were, those who cavilled at the small helpings, MMM reflected. Once on the train and with an appetite sharpened by those around eating continuously, MMM opened his packed breakfast. He did so with a rather supercilious air, for those around were making do with ordinary railway fare while he was feasting on a takeaway breakfast from one of Chennai’s best-known eating-houses.

The packet when opened revealed a bulging plastic bag of sambar. There was an equally large one filled with chutney. All very gratifying. It was just that the pongal was nowhere to be seen. MMM poked around with the thoughtfully provided plastic spoon and discovered two measly blobs of pongal, hidden under the sambar packet. A magnifying glass would have been a more appropriate item of cutlery. MMM made a meal out of the sambar and chutney. Not that anyone asked, but if they had, MMM would have replied that it was the quality that counted and not the quantity.

Sothu kai

Traffic sign outside Express Avenue mall

What kind of an urn I wonder. Since it is Chennai traffic, funerary is the only variety that springs to mind.

Questions on the protection of heritage

The lifting of a stay by the Hon’ble High Court of Madras on the demolition of a 164-year-old church in Coimbatore has paved the way for new construction. This may be the right moment to look at what protection is there for structures that do not come under the classification of ancient monuments.

Let us face it, there really is no legal protection for structures that are not already under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India. India has no State where a comprehensive Heritage Act exists, which enables the listing of relatively recent heritage and ensures the care of such structures. This means that most buildings in the country that are less than 500 years old are open to alteration and, worse, demolition.

Tamil Nadu is no exception to the rule. As and when the demolition of any such structure is challenged before the Courts, there is no statute on the basis of which protection can be given and, consequently, permission for demolition is usually the end-result. It is only in the rarest of the rare cases that the cause of preservation and restoration has been upheld.

Unfortunately, those who own such properties are not aware of the heritage in their possession and often consider it to be a hindrance to progress. In the instance of the Coimbatore church, the diocese has claimed that the structure was too weak to withstand the vagaries of nature. This is completely contrary to heritage conservation principles which state that no structure that is standing is beyond restoration. Unfortunately, most of the modern architects who should know better, do not abide by this tenet.

In this particular instance, the Commissioner for Archaeology, Tamil Nadu, was asked by the Court to give a considered view on the church. The opinion given was that “though the church is more than 100-years-old, it has no sculptures, inscriptions or any unique artistic interest, and the church had undergone repairs, alterations, additions, and extensions number of times with modern materials.”

It is on this opinion that we have much to say. If we are to go by this, most buildings that we would consider to be of heritage value would have to be demolished. Yet, the very age of the building would make it qualify for protection, as it represents an era that has gone by. Secondly, does every structure that merits protection need to necessarily have sculptures, inscriptions or unique artistic interest? Surely there are structures of far more recent vintage that have been protected. What of the 10-storey Namakkal Kavignar Maligai in Fort St George? Or the twin arches outside Anna Nagar? Lastly, if the usage of modern materials in an old building removes its heritage tag, most of our temples would be prime candidates. And what of structures such as the residence of Subramania Bharathi in Triplicane which, though thoroughly modernised by later owners, was acquired by the State Government, restored somewhat to its original façade and is now protected?

We do not hold a brief for the church in question either for or against the demolition. The Court has ruled and the diocese has acted accordingly. But, this sets a precedent on the basis of which cases for and against demolition may be argued in future. There is, therefore, an urgent need for a debate on what constitutes heritage. Similarly, there is immediate necessity for the passing of a Heritage Act for the entire State of Tamil Nadu. This should be followed up with a listing of heritage structures across the State, grading them on the basis of their importance and affording them protection on that basis. There are well-established norms for this and we do not have to re-invent the wheel.

What price World Heritage status?

The State is still coming back to normalcy from the fallout of a meeting in Mamallapuram, the historic port a short distance from Chennai. While our sympathies are with the families of those who sustained losses, we are also concerned at the probable damage that could have been done to the Shore Temple which, along with several other structures in the vicinity, enjoys World Heritage status. The vandalism that ensued was shocking, but what is even worse is the apathy of officialdom.

The meeting was to ostensibly celebrate the Tamil New Year and the Full Moon night that immediately followed. This was by political leaders who of late have been adopting a green posture and who claim to espouse heritage. But that the event was going to be of a political nature was made clear to everyone seeing the posters and banners that went up all over the city and its environs a few days before the event. Political heavyweights from up north had been invited as well. And when we have a political meeting, we do know the kind of audience it attracts. All this was apparently not evident to those who permitted the event or to the Archaeological Survey of India under whose jurisdiction the Shore Temple falls.

On the day of the event, countless followers of the organisers climbed all over the temple, hoisted flags on the structure and generally behaved in a manner not befitting the venue. The temple is already in a weak condition, having been exposed to salt water and air for several centuries. The ASI refuses permission to anyone wanting to climb on to the structure. That is, anyone other than members of political outfits who simply cock a snook at the authorities and wilfully go ahead. The ASI has now written to the police complaining about the vandalism. A classic instance of shutting the stable door after the horses have bolted.

This is not the first time this has happened. Last year too the same group staged a similar event at the same venue. And its cadres behaved the same way. Given this experience, it is indeed surprising that the police and the ASI chose to grant permission for the event once again. It just goes to show that against the political juggernaut, even if it comprises political leaders not in power, the machinery of the Government is ineffective or is simply unwilling to be firm.

All this makes us wonder as to what exactly has been achieved by obtaining World Heritage status for these monuments. What is the point in getting the world to protect our heritage when those in our own backyard are unable to do so? Those in charge also probably do not realise that the UNESCO, which grants World Heritage status, is extremely quick to revoke its protection. The ruins at Hampi faced that risk when a bridge was built across the river without taking the UNESCO into confidence. What then is likely to happen in the case of Mamallapuram?

Officials need to realise that it is just not enough to put up grille gates, an ornamental lawn and intimidate the general tourist who, in any case, is law-abiding. What we need is the will to protect our heritage from wanton vandalism, as has happened in this case. No amount of laws can ensure this unless those in charge of implementing them feel the necessity to enforce them. Perhaps that will happen once the organisers of this celebration, who claim to be in the vanguard of the green movement and protection of heritage, really begin meaning what they say.

Taxi trouble

As you must have guessed by now, The Man from Madras Musings was recently on a train and that also means he had to reach Central Station. He decided to book a taxi for this. MMM was informed by several nears and dears that such services were a mere telephone call away. And sure enough MMM found that this was indeed so. A very professional voice answered the phone at first ring, did not swear under its breath that another ‘customer of death’ had come and asked MMM for his personal details. Having done the booking, the voice rang off assuring MMM that the taxi would manifest itself at the appointed hour. Shortly thereafter MMM received a text message on his cell phone which gave the impression that serving MMM was the only raison-d’être for the taxi service’s existence.

Much flattered, MMM awaited the taxi. The appointed hour came and went. The clocks ticked on. No taxi. MMM decided to call the helpline. A pre-recorded voice, exuding much the same warmth as the earlier human voice, now asked MMM to select from several choices. MMM realised that he had but two choices – either reaching the station on time or missing his train. He opted for the former and was ranging hither and thither for an autorickshaw when the truant taxi arrived. The driver apologised profusely, said he was caught up in traffic and could MMM forgive him. There was no time for all that and MMM barged into the cab and asked the man to drive at topmost speed to the station.

The driver then clicked a few buttons, turned on the airconditioning, asked MMM if he was comfortable and set the meter ticking. He then just sat looking through the wind-screen. What was he waiting for asked MMM. For directions to the station came the reply. He was new to the city, he said, and he did not know the way! At any other time MMM would have been reminded of the two drunks who saw the star and argued over whether it was the sun or the moon. They decided to ask the opinion of a third toper who said he was new to the place and so did not know.

But this was not the time for levity. It was more a time for silent prayer, which alone gives the necessary strength. MMM made it to the station, but just about.