According to wholesale traders, rising fuel prices and increased lorry freight charges have pushed up the prices of several essential vegetables since the first week of August.

Tomato prices recorded one of the sharpest increases, doubling from Rs 12/kg on August 1 to Rs 25/kg on Sunday (August 16).

A kilo of hybrid tomatoes costs Rs 40, a rise from Rs 30. Beans and Ooty carrots increased by Rs 20 each to Rs 90. Green peas recorded the highest price among the major increases, rising from Rs 150 to Rs 180/kg. Onion prices rose marginally from Rs 35 to Rs 38/kg.

Several other kitchen staples also became costlier. Raw mangoes were priced at Rs 70/kg, cucumbers at Rs 40, green chillies at Rs 80 and Ooty beetroot at Rs 60.

However, prices of some vegetables remained unchanged. Drumstick was sold at Rs 30/kg, bitter gourd at Rs 50, brinjal at Rs 40 and okra at Rs 30. Prices of certain varieties of ginger and garlic declined by Rs 10. A kilo of ginger fell from Rs 190 to Rs 180, while garlic dropped from Rs 250 to Rs 240.

A Selvaraj, general secretary of the Koyambedu Tomato Vendors Association, said, “Increase in fuel prices, along with higher lorry rentals and labour charges, contributed to the rise in vegetable prices.”

Homemaker Sarala from Kodambakkam lamented that the increase was “affecting household budgets, particularly for commonly used vegetables such as tomatoes and onions”.

Price/Kg in wholesale

Vegetable Aug 1 Aug 16

Onion 35 38

Tomato (country) 12 25

Tomato (hybrid) 30 40

Beans 70 90

Carrot (Ooty) 70 90

Green Peas 150 180

Raw Mango 50 70

Cucumber 25 40

Green Chilli 70 80

Beetroot 50 60

They entered India, claiming they had come for treatment. However, when questioned by customs officials at the airport, they failed to produce any valid medical documents supporting their claim. They had travelled from Yangon to Thailand before flying to Chennai, which made the officials suspicious. The officials checked their baggage and took the husband and wife to separate rooms for detailed personal screening.

During the search, officials found suspicious objects concealed in the couple's rectums. On examination, the objects were found to be gold. In total, officials recovered about 1.970 kg of gold from both of them. The couple was arrested and the gold, valued at Rs 3 crore, was seized.

Officials said gold smuggling cases at Chennai airport have risen again after the Union Finance Ministry increased the import duty on gold from 6 per cent to 15 per cent. The earlier duty cut had reduced smuggling, but the hike has reportedly led to a fresh surge in attempts to smuggle gold into India, especially through Chennai. Investigations are ongoing.

T Ramasami, former Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, GoI, was the chief guest.

Mohit Jain, COO (Publishing) and Board Member, Bennett, Coleman & Co, was the guest of honour, while Ganesanathan Geathiswaran, Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, South India, was the special guest.

VIT Founder and Chancellor G Viswanathan presided over the ceremony.

VIT Vice-Presidents Sankar Viswanathan and GV Selvam, Vice-Chancellor VS Kanchana Bhaaskaran, pro-Vice Chancellor T Thyagarajan and other senior officials attended the event.

Addressing the graduates, Ramasami said that young people had an important role in shaping not only their own future but also that of their families, the country and humanity.

“While only 740 engineering students graduated from TN a few decades ago, now, it has increased to several lakhs annually. The reason is mobilisation of available resources,” he added. “TN has emerged as a leader in R&D since 2000, based on research papers published in peer-reviewed journals. Around 61% of India’s research papers comes from here, with private universities contributing 35%.”

Viswanathan highlighted that only about 13% of India’s population had attained graduate-level education and called for greater expansion of higher education.

Mohit Jain urged graduates to work hard, build teams and pursue solutions to unresolved problems, while cautioning them against linking happiness solely to future achievements.

Geathiswaran highlighted the longstanding cultural and historical ties between India and Sri Lanka, particularly between TN and Lanka.

One of the highlights is Aside, a magazine launched in Chennai in 1977. Considered the country’s first city-based magazine, it ran for only a few years before being discontinued. Visitors can now see copies of the magazine and flip through its pages at the exhibition. 

“The exhibition will display books, periodicals, magazines and other literary works on Chennai. There will be books that chronicle the city’s architecture, culture, politics and environment. Along with books, there will also be magazines that were published in the city,” says Arun Prasath, one of the exhibition convenors.

The exhibition draws from RMRL’s extensive collection. Primarily a research library dedicated to preserving Tamil print culture, RMRL has nearly 100 years of Tamil print history in its archives, with close to six lakh works.

Its collection covers subjects ranging from tradition, education and health to colonial and post-colonial history, offering a glimpse into the evolution of Tamil scholarship and publishing.

The library has also planned two events as part of the Madras Week celebrations. On August 20, French scholar Prof. Dominic Goodall, Director of the Ecole francaise d’Extreme Orient in Puducherry, will deliver a special talk on the Khatvanga of Lord Shiva.

On August 22, the Madras Youth Choir will present a performance. Visitors can also purchase books published by RMRL at a 10 per cent discount from August 17 to 22.

After preliminary investigations, police have ruled out drunk driving and ascertained that the person behind the wheel lost control of the vehicle while overspeeding.

The car was driven by a 20-year-old, who borrowed it from his mother. The college students were driving towards East Coast Road when they met with the accident. Personnel on security duty outside Lok Bhavan rushed to their aid and reached them.

Three of them suffered minor injuries and were treated at a government hospital. Adyar Traffic Investigation Wing (TIW) has registered a case and are investigating.

A new MoU was signed at the IIT-M campus, marking the next phase of a collaboration launched in 2022 under the CSR programme.

CIFIL will now focus on emerging areas including AI in financial services, digital payments, blockchain and tokenisation, cybersecurity, regulatory technology, WealthTech, InsurTech, digital lending, data analytics and financial inclusion. The lab will also expand research and develop intellectual property, facilitate technology transfer and support commercialisation of research-led solutions. It will strengthen support for fintech startups through mentoring, faculty expertise, industry networks, research collaborations and innovation challenges. 

“CIFIL was established to create this intersection between industry experience and academic exploration,” CAMS managing director Anuj Kumar said. “The renewed partnership will foster an environment where ideas could become solutions for the financial services ecosystem.” 

IIT-M director V Kamakoti said, “The collaboration can accelerate the development of cutting-edge fintech solutions for Bharat's financial ecosystem. Students will gain through research projects, internships, hackathons, expert interactions and startup mentoring.”

CIFIL will offer certificate programmes in FinTech and personal financial planning. M Thenmozhi, head CIFIL, said: “The lab aims to emerge as a global centre for fintech innovation and develop ventures addressing unresolved challenges in banking, financial markets and financial services.”

In Tiruvottiyur, ex-IRS officer Balamurugan has been on a hunger strike for the past 20 days in Tiruvottiyur seeking abolition of NEET. He began his fast on July 27, and has made it clear that he will continue to fast until his demand is met.

Balamurugan told DT Next that his demands included the resignation of the CJI over his reported remarks concerning cockroaches, the resignation of the Union Home Minister over the alleged brutal attack on students in Delhi, and an exemption for Tamil Nadu from NEET. “Until these demands are met, I will continue my hunger strike,” he said.

Late S Anitha's brother Manirathnam, who recently visited the officer, in a video demanded that the government take care of his health check-ups and provide a designated space for his protest. As the government did not provide an area, Balamurugan continues to protest from his home.

Manirathnam and the other members of the Anti-NEET Federation-Tamil Nadu had recently ended their 12-day hunger strike following the Assembly resolution, saying the government had responded to one of their key demands. Their demands had included bringing education back to the State List to enable states to decide their own admission policies, and eventually abolish NEET.

Students, activists protests in Egmore

Meanwhile, in Egmore, the 'OG Tamizha' collective has been staging a continuous sit-in protest for the past 24 days at the Thayagam Complex on Rukmani Lakshmipathi Road in Egmore. The sit-in protest, held from 3 pm to 9 pm daily, has been bringing together students, educationists as well as activists daily. On Saturday (August 15), the children from Chennai also extended their solidarity to the cause.

The protestors have been reiterating that banning the exam altogether is the only way forward. "If Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar can give assent to the special anti-NEET resolution passed by the government recently, NEET would not continue in the State," they said in a video message. Notably, in 2024, the Tamil Nadu government led by then Chief Minister MK Stalin had passed the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill, which sought to exempt Tamil Nadu students from taking NEET. However, the Bill never received presidential assent.

Art has been the primary medium for the 'OG Tamizha' collective to express their resistance, with the protest site using music, theatre, dance, and other art forms to express dissent. "Let's celebrate resistance," reads one of their posters. Educationist Prince Gajendra Babu is among those who have extended their solidarity to the protestors.

Manirathnam had also visited the Egmore protest site, calling for statewide solidarity for the NEET ban demand. Members of Maniratnam's Anti-NEET Federation-Tamil Nadu had ended their hunger strike and the protest after the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed the resolution.

Recently, while moving the second resolution against NEET in the State Assembly, Health and Medical Education Minister KG Arunraj said medical education should be accessible not only to economically stronger sections but also to students with merit and dedication. The resolution stated that NEET had led to the proliferation of coaching centres charging exorbitant fees and had diverted students' attention from the school curriculum towards exam-oriented coaching. Arunraj also said that before the introduction of NEET, students from rural, poor and socially disadvantaged backgrounds were able to secure medical education opportunities. The introduction of NEET, he alleged, had adversely affected socio-economic equality in medical admissions.

(With inputs from Bureau)

The fish deaths were reported from Saturday morning, with fishermen saying the dead fish had spread across nearly 6-7 km of the waterway, from the Buckingham Canal near Kattukuppam, past the North Chennai Thermal Power Station and towards the Kulikkam/Kulivakkam area.

R.L. Srinivasan, president of the Fishermen Co-operative Society, Ennore, said fish deaths linked to suspected industrial discharge had been occurring frequently, but the scale of the latest incident was much larger.

“This happens continuously, frequently. This time it is a bit more. Water mixed with chemicals is being released from the Manali side through a canal. It mixes with the backwaters and, during low tide, comes towards the sea,” he said.

Fishermen allege that such potent discharges are being made during the night to avoid detection. Fishermen have now launched road blockades in Ennore, demanding action over the recurring pollution of the waterbody.

Madhanagopal, a fisherman from Kattukuppam, said the latest fish kill was noticed at around 11 am on Saturday and had extended several kilometres. “This is due to fertiliser factories. Because it comes through the Buckingham Canal, the scale of the impact it creates to our livelihood is huge,” he said.

He said a range of fish and aquatic life had been found dead, including Madal, Thullal, Sankara, Koduva and Irunka fish, besides prawns and crabs.

“First it started with releasing the hot water decades ago. Now, they are sending all kinds of chemical water into the backwaters,” he said, referring to industrial facilities in the Manali-Ennore belt.

Fishermen say that such repeated pollution incidents had already severely affected their livelihood, with the community increasingly worried about how they would sustain themselves and educate their children and are now demanding immediate intervention to identify the source of the suspected discharge, prevent further contamination and establish what caused the latest mass fish deaths.

Ingredients

3 cups grated zucchini

1/3 cup rice flour

1/3 cup besan flour

1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp ginger, finely chopped

1⁄2 tsp chilli flakes

1⁄4 tsp pepper powder

1⁄2 cup finely chopped onion

2 tbsp thick curd

1⁄4 tsp baking soda

Salt to taste

Oil, for shallow frying

How to make

Grate one medium zucchini using the large holes of a grater. Trim and discard the ends Transfer the grated zucchini to a strainer, add salt and mix well. Cover and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes Squeeze out as much water as possible. Reserve the extracted juice In a mixing bowl, combine the grated zucchini, rice flour, besan, garlic, ginger, chilli flakes, pepper powder, onion, curd, baking soda and salt Mix well to form a thick batter. Add a little of the reserved zucchini juice only if needed. About 2 tablespoons should be enough, but add it gradually to prevent the batter from becoming watery Heat oil in a pan for shallow frying. Once hot, scoop out a portion of the batter and place it in the pan. Gently flatten it, keeping the fritter slightly thick Cook on both sides until golden brown and crisp Serve hot.

RAGI PAKODA

Ingredients

1 cup ragi flour | 1 medium onion,

finely chopped | 2 tbsp curry

leaves, finely chopped | 1 tbsp

coriander leaves, finely chopped

| 1⁄4 cup raw peanuts | 1 tbsp fried

gram dal | 1 tsp red chilli powder

| 1 tsp hot oil | Salt to taste | Water

as needed | Oil for deep frying

HOW TO MAKE

Add the ragi flour, chopped onion, curry leaves and coriander leaves to a mixing bowl Grind the peanuts and fried gram dal to a coarse mixture and add it to the bowl Add salt, chilli powder and hot oil. Mix well Add water little by little and bring the mixture together. The dough should be moist and hold together when pressed, but it should not be too wet or stiff Heat oil in a kadai. Pinch off small portions of the dough and drop them into the hot oil Fry in batches without overcrowding the kadai. Turn them occasionally and fry until crisp Towards the end, add a few curry leaves to the hot oil and fry until crisp. Remove everything and drain on a kitchen towel Serve hot

The case has been registered under Sections 191(2), 191(3), 118(1), 103 and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The FIR was registered on August 6, 2026, at the CBI's Special Task Branch in Chennai.

The CBI FIR states that the Madras High Court, in an order dated September 24, 2025, transferred the investigation into Crime No.293 of 2024 of Sembium police station to the CBI. The order was passed in a petition filed by K Armstrong's relative, K Immanuvel.

The Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai Police, and others had challenged the High Court order before the Supreme Court. The petition was subsequently withdrawn. The Supreme Court, in its July 22, 2026 order, observed that the dismissal of the Special Leave Petition (SLP) meant that the High Court's order would stand and the CBI would take over as the investigating agency.

According to the original complaint reproduced in the CBI FIR, Armstrong was attacked at around 7 pm on July 5, 2024, near an under-construction house on Venugopal Samy Street in Perambur. His brother Veeramani, who was present at the spot, said around eight unidentified men arrived and attacked Armstrong with knives.

Veeramani told police that he, real estate broker Balaji and Armstrong's driver Abdul Gani were also attacked when they tried to intervene. Armstrong and Abdul Gani were taken to Apollo Hospital, while Balaji was taken to Arul Das Hospital. The complaint stated that Armstrong died while being taken to Apollo Hospital.

The original case was registered at Sembium police station as Crime No.293 of 2024, and it was said that rival gangs, under the leadership of gangster Nagendran, had joined together to eliminate Armstrong. While Nagendran died of ill health, another accused was killed by Chennai police in an encounter.

The CBI has now taken up the case for investigation and visited the scene of the crime on Saturday.

According to reports, one litre of petrol is being sold at Rs 107.77, while diesel costs Rs 99.55 per litre in Chennai on Sunday.

On May 25, petrol was raised by Rs 2.61 a litre and diesel by Rs 2.71. The increase took cumulative hikes since May 15 to nearly Rs 7.5 per litre.

Until May, fuel prices had largely remained unchanged since April 2022, except for a Rs 2 per litre reduction announced in March 2024 ahead of the national elections.

Why have fuel prices been increased?

Global crude oil prices had surged more than 50 per cent since late February following US-Israeli strikes on Iran and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route.

State-run retailers had delayed passing on higher input costs for weeks, a move the government said was intended to shield consumers from inflation. Opposition parties, however, accused the administration of holding back price increases until after key state elections.

The May 15 increase came after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expanded its electoral footprint by winning three of five state and UT elections, including West Bengal.

Retail fuel prices were first raised by Rs 3 per litre on May 15, followed by a 90-paise increase on May 19 and another hike on May 23, when petrol prices rose by 87 paise and diesel by 91 paise per litre.

On May 25, petrol was raised by Rs 2.61 a litre and diesel by Rs 2.71. The cumulative increase since May 15 stands at nearly Rs 7.5 per litre.

The increase varies across cities due to differences in local taxes.

Petrol rates (per litre) in Chennai across last 5 days:

August 15 - Rs 107.77

August 14 - Rs 107.77

August 13 - Rs 107.77

August 12 - Rs 107.77

August 11 - Rs 107.77

Diesel rates (per litre) in Chennai across last 5 days:

August 15 - Rs 99.55

August 14 - Rs 99.55

August 13 - Rs 99.55

August 12 - Rs 99.55

August 11 - Rs 99.55

Residents said the tree has been leaning for more than two years and has tilted further towards the road in the past two months.

With the city getting light to moderate showers, they fear strong winds could bring down the tree, posing a risk to pedestrians and motorists and potentially blocking the already congested road.

V Sathiabalan, state secretary, Indian National Trade Union Congress, Tamil Nadu, said, “A signage pole cemented into the footpath is now being used to support the increasingly tilted tree. It could fall at any time, particularly on people who wait under the tree. I have filed complaints a couple of times through the Corporation’s 1913 helpline. The customer service agents keep assuring me that action will be taken, but nothing happened. The civic body must address the issue immediately to prevent any untoward incidents.”

Some residents also alleged that the shaded area had become a spot where people gathered to consume alcohol, particularly as a Tasmac outlet is located opposite the tree. “The tree’s roots can weaken its stability and make it vulnerable during strong winds and monsoon rains. Trimming it can be an immediate temporary measure,” a resident opined.

A senior Corporation official said the tree would be cleared after informing the Parks department.

Curated by performance artist and HSPA founder Sarita Nair, the production will be presented on August 16 at Rukmini Arangam, Kalakshetra Foundation. After travelling to Mumbai, Bengaluru and Vizag, the fifth edition turns its focus to Tamil Nadu’s history of resistance and the artistic traditions of the region.

“Itihaas Ke Pannon Se has always come from the need to look beyond the history and people that we already know. What are the stories sitting on the farthest shelf of our history books that deserve to be brought into the light?" says Sarita.

Rather than presenting these histories as conventional retellings, Sarita sees the different art forms as different languages telling the same story. Villupattu makes a story conversational; storytelling allows audiences to enter a person’s emotional world, music adds another layer of feeling, while Bharatanatyam communicates through movement and expression.

The evening will feature Villupattu by Kalaimamani Bharathi Thirumagan and Kalaimamani T Kalaimagan, storytelling by Dr VR Devika on Khadi as a freedom fighter, Songs of Freedom by vocalist Shreya Ramnath accompanied by live painting by Satwik Gade, and a Bharatanatyam piece on a lesser-known freedom fighter by students of Rukminidevi Natyakshetra.

For Sarita, the focus extends beyond the individuals who fought in the freedom struggle. The production also looks at ideas and everyday objects that became symbols of resistance, with Khadi and the charkha taking centre stage.

“I believe it is a beautiful way of shifting the lens. It makes us look at the freedom movement not just through people, but also through the ideas, objects and everyday acts that became part of the struggle,” she says.

The approach also draws from traditional ways of preserving history through song, dance and oral storytelling. “I don't see performing arts as an addition to history. I see them as an extension of the way history has always been remembered,” Sarita says.

For younger audiences, Sarita hopes the performances make history feel personal rather than distant. “I hope they feel that history belongs to them too,” she says, adding that she would rather have a young viewer leave with one story that stays with them than ten facts they might forget.

Perhaps that curiosity could lead them to ask their grandparents about the past, look up a freedom fighter they had never heard of, or even see a handloom sari or a piece of Khadi differently.

After five editions across different cities, Sarita says the project has also changed how she understands the freedom movement. She has come to see these stories not as forgotten, but as histories that continue to live in people’s memories, songs, communities, art forms and oral traditions. “I no longer see it as something that belongs to the past. I see it as a living continuum,” she concludes.

Itihaas Ke Pannon Se – Fifth Edition will be held on August 16, from 6 pm onwards at Rukmini Arangam, Kalakshetra Foundation. Tickets are available through MDnD Entertainment and the HSPA website.

During India's freedom struggle, what people bought and consumed could also become a political choice. The Swadeshi movement, which gathered momentum after the 1905 Partition of Bengal, called for the boycott of foreign goods and the use of Indian-made products as a way of strengthening indigenous production and economic self-reliance.

“Food was never just nourishment during India's freedom struggle. It was also a statement of self-reliance,” says food writer and researcher Rakesh Raghunathan. For him, the Swadeshi idea encouraged Indians to value local produce and traditional foods over imported goods. Salt, he points out, became one of the most powerful examples of an everyday ingredient acquiring the meaning of resistance.

But the story of indigenous food stretches much further back than the freedom movement itself. Millets such as ragi, bajra and jowar were everyday foods long before they acquired the contemporary label of “superfoods”. Chef Arupam Baidya points to the traditional knowledge embedded in these grains and in the practices through which communities preserved seeds and passed agricultural knowledge from one generation to the next. At Parva, Baidya works with ingredients and dishes that reflect that regional diversity, including millet rotis and Chakhao, the black rice from Manipur. His idea of Swadeshi today is not about a single Indian cuisine, but the many cuisines that make up the country. His memories extend to lesser-known regional foods too: Putu, a wild mushroom from Sarguja; Ningro, the tender shoot of a fern eaten in Sikkim with Churpi; and Nakima, a bitter wild flower. For Baidya, these foods are reminders of how much regional knowledge remains undiscovered.

The pothole-ridden road is being used as an alternative route by vehicles travelling from Tondiarpet High Road towards Kadumbadi Amman Koil Street, where stormwater drain (SWD) works are under way. The increased traffic has further damaged the already battered road. During the rainy season, water stagnates on the road, adding to the difficulties faced by workers and motorists.

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) secretary Ravi said that workers in the area used the road every day and that it had remained in poor condition for several years. “Whenever the potholes become severe, the Corporation fills them with stones. However, there is no proper drainage facility to allow excess rainwater to flow away, resulting in water stagnating on the road. Owners of industries here have filed several complaints, but there has been no improvement so far,” he said.

The 35-metre-long stretch of KMA Garden Road will be relayed once funds are sanctioned, said a senior city Corporation official

Shopkeeper Prabhu said that accidents occurred frequently, particularly in the evenings. “Two-wheelers often skid and fall because of the potholes. As KMA Garden Road is being used as an alternative route, the existing potholes have become worse,” he said.

A senior Corporation official told DT Next that SWD works were under way on Kadumbadi Amman Koil Road for 850 metres, of which 550 metres had been completed. The remaining work is yet to be completed.

“Once the work is completed, we have planned to relay roads in residential areas, including Kadumbadi Amman Koil Road, Tiruvalluvar Road and Vivekananda Road. An estimate has been prepared, and a proposal has been submitted. Once funds are sanctioned, road works in residential areas will be taken up on a priority basis,” the official said. “After that, work will be taken up to relay the 350-metre-long stretch of KMA Garden Road. Steps will be taken to complete all the road works before the upcoming monsoon.”

On the stretch from Tirumangalam towards Anna Nagar Roundtana, vehicles are reportedly parked near the bus stops at Anna Nagar Tower, Blue Star, 12th Main Road and Ayyappan Temple.

Commuters lamented that buses were unable to enter the designated bus bays and were instead, stopping on the main road to pick up and drop off passengers. The problem is more acute on the stretch from Anna Nagar Roundtana towards Tirumangalam, where bus shelters at Anna Nagar Roundtana, Blue Star and 12th Main Road have been removed amid stormwater drain construction.

Students of Valliammal College for Women and Kandaswami Naidu College for Men regularly use the Roundtana bus stop. In the absence of a shelter, many students are forced to wait under trees or along shop fronts.

“The Roundtana bus shelter has been unavailable for the past three years. It’s difficult when it rains, or during the sweltering heat. Buses do not stop at the designated location due to lack of space, and often stop a little away during peak hours. Passengers are forced to run to catch the buses,” said college student Tejaswari.

Passenger Kasthuri said SWD works near the Tower bus stop had further narrowed the space available for commuters. “There is not enough space for people to stand in this busy area. Many commuters have to stand under the shade of nearby trees. When buses arrive, passengers have to run to board them,” she said.

Another passenger, Moorthya, said the Blue Star and 12th Main Road bus stops were removed when SWD works began but had not been restored. “Vehicles are also being parked in these areas, forcing buses to stop on the main road to pick up and drop off passengers,” he said.

When contacted, a senior Corporation official told DT Next, “SWD construction works are under way in the area. After they’re completed, bus stops will be restored to their original locations.”

According to residents, for over 40 years, a vacant site belonging to the Railways along Ennore High Road, had served as a makeshift bus halt.

Transport staff and commuters recalled severe hardships, including having to seek shelter under trees during harsh summers and torrential rains. Without toilets on site, drivers and conductors were forced to seek cover behind nearby bushes.

K Gokul, a resident of Karunanidhi Nagar, recalled the daily struggles of commuters: “Everyone from schoolchildren to senior citizens are forced to brave severe weather conditions. Even light rain turns the ground slushy, leaving stagnant pools of water.”

Echoing him was Arasu, a bus driver at the terminus, who pointed out that the lack of seating and shelters forced passengers to seek cover under trees. “Without restrooms, staff must relieve themselves behind bushes. Turning buses near the railway tracks is difficult. So, after 6 pm, we would park along the road. This causes traffic jams but we didn’t have a choice,” he rued.

Currently, routes operating from the spot are the 44 Cut service (Indian Oil Corporation to Island Grounds) and the C1 circular route (IOC to IOC). Commuters rely heavily on these services to connect with major transit hubs, including the High Court, Chennai Beach Station, and Metro stations at Tondiarpet and Washermenpet.

Explaining the project’s background, Nethaji U Ganesan, chairman of the Tondiarpet Zone and Ward 38 Councillor, noted that the railway land parcel was secured on a 32-year lease for Rs 1.8 crore funded through the RK Nagar MLA fund. The GCC subsequently invested in constructing the terminus infrastructure.

Ganesan stated, “Over 40,000 residents across 32 localities, including Nedunchezhian Nagar, Nethaji Nagar, and Rajasekaran Nagar along with neighbouring areas like Korukkupet and Manali, will directly benefit from the facility.”

With the construction complete, residents and transport workers are urging the GCC and Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) to inaugurate the terminus soon. In February this year, a letter was submitted to former MTC managing director T Prabhu Shankar seeking the restoration and expansion of crucial bus routes connecting Tondiarpet to key commercial and educational hubs across Chennai.

“Requested services include route 159D (toKoyambedu), 1F (to Tiruvanmiyur), 4D (to Adyar), 170E (to Tambaram), 44C (to Anna Square), and 15A (to Vadapalani),” added Ganesan. “Resuming these routes will drastically reduce travel time for daily wagers, office goers, working women, and students. We’ve also urged the MTC to rename the bus terminus after a national leader instead of the IOC.”

A senior GCC official said, “All works are completed. We’re waiting for MTC and the State government to give a date for inauguration.”

The bus terminus constructed at Rs 2.4 crore, spans 16,000 square feet, with toilets for men, women and persons with disability. Rooms for lactation, waiting, and time-keeping are available at the terminus, along with CCTV cameras.

It was this practical problem that led ghatam player N Guruprasad to develop One Ghatam, a wooden version that can be tuned to different srutis. The instrument weighs around three to four kilograms, almost half the weight of a traditional clay ghatam. Unlike the clay version, it can be adjusted to suit different pitches.

“The main reason for this innovation is that you can tune the instrument to any scale and any sruti. It is easily tuneable. The problem becomes noticeable when accompanying vocalists. While one singer may perform in C, another may sing in C sharp or even somewhere between two commonly used pitches. Since a clay ghatam has a fixed tone, the artiste has little choice but to use another instrument. With this instrument, you can tune it to whatever the singer needs,” he explains.

Guruprasad says some players have as many as 20 to 25 ghatams, so they are prepared for different concerts and singers. Carrying them, especially when travelling, is not easy. “This innovation would solve many of those problems,” he says.

The wooden instrument has another advantage. According to Guruprasad, it requires less force to play than the traditional clay pot. “You can use less power to play this ghatam than the power used for a normal clay ghatam,” he says.

Once he developed the instrument, Guruprasad took it to his guru, the legendary ghatam artiste Vikku Vinayakram. He also showed it to another of his gurus, V. Suresh. Fellow ghatam artistes Ghatam Karthik and Chandrasekara Sharma have also tried the new instrument. For Guruprasad, the idea is not to replace the traditional clay ghatam. Instead, he hopes it will give artistes another option, particularly those who travel frequently or perform in places where carrying a collection of instruments is difficult.

“Many ghatam players around the world do not have ghatams in every sruti. Because of that, some miss out on concerts when the right pitch is not available. I wanted to create something that would solve this problem,” he says. He also hopes the innovation will encourage more musicians to take up the instrument by making it easier to use and travel with

One Ghatam will be formally launched and demonstrated on August 19 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Mylapore. Guruprasad will present the instrument in a live demonstration alongside leading Carnatic musicians, showing how it can be tuned across different srutis while retaining the familiar sound and role of the ghatam in Carnatic music.

A Chennai girl, Harshitha studied visual communication and initially thought photography would be her career. She grew up cooking for family and spent time in the kitchen with her mother and grandmother. Still, becoming a chef was never part of the plan.

That changed during a shoot soon after college. Harshitha was assisting on a photography project when a woman chef walked in to style the food. Watching her work made Harshitha curious about the world behind the food she had always enjoyed. “I always cooked for my family and friends, but I never thought of taking it up as a profession,” she says.

At the time, she was planning to pursue a master’s in photography in the US. Instead, she chose to study culinary arts at the San Francisco Cooking School.

“It was very different from a regular cooking school. Chefs from across San Francisco would come and teach us, and we were exposed to the city’s food community. They discussed how chefs collaborate, support one another and contribute to the food scene. That stayed with me,” she says.

Harshitha went on to work as a chef in San Francisco. She returned to Chennai during Covid, when the restaurant industry had come to a standstill. The break was difficult and she admits that she lost some of her confidence as a chef. In late 2021, she joined Sage & Lavender Café in Alwarpet run by Shilpa Reddy. Working there helped her find her way back into the kitchen and also made her realise that she wanted to create something of her own. “Shilpa has inspired me immensely and given me the confidence to believe that one day, I could build something of my own too,” she says. Life took her to Germany too. Harshitha met her husband while she was studying in San Francisco, and after their marriage, she moved there. She now travels between Germany and India.

Back in Chennai, her family had another connection to food and hospitality of a different kind. Her parents and brother run SB Cinemas, a single-screen theatre in Poonamallee. When the family began discussing a new venture, the idea of opening a café within the theatre premises came up. “We decided to put the first outlet inside the theatre compound. Rusi Rasa was born from that idea. I wanted a South Indian café that felt familiar but did not simply repeat what was already available. I grew up eating at places like Saravana Bhavan and Sangeetha. My parents and grandparents also found comfort in those places. I wanted to bring a change to the South Indian café experience in Chennai,” she tells us.

The menu is where that comes through most clearly. Harshitha loved the benne dosa she ate in Bengaluru and created her version, adapting it to suit a Tamil palate. The recently introduced hummus bharta dosa, with hummus and garlic bharta tucked inside, has quickly become a favourite.

The snacks are just as playful. There is punugulu with hummus and podi, sweet bonda with caramel sauce, cheese-stuffed chilli bhajji with inji puli and salsa and potato cutlets served with apple sauce. Some of the ideas have come from her life in Europe. “Black sesame is used a lot in Europe, in ice creams, desserts and drinks. I thought, why not bring it into our menu? It’s healthy too,” she says.

But for Harshitha, unusual combinations work only when they respect the food they are built around. “For me, fusion should work if it is authentic to Tamil cuisine. That also influences how I source ingredients. Most of the produce and ingredients are sourced within Tamil Nadu, which allows our team to keep a closer eye on quality and make much of the food from scratch.”

For someone who started out wanting to photograph food, Harshitha has now found herself creating it, serving it and building a brand around it. Her experiences in three different food cultures have shaped the menu, but the starting point remains the food she grew up with.

The deceased has been identified as Jameer Hussain (28) from West Bengal. He had been living in Kodungaiyur.

An overhead water tank belonging to the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), located on 2nd Main Road, RV Nagar, Kodungaiyur, had developed structural issues and was being demolished.

Jameer Hussain and a few other workers had been engaged in the demolition work for the past few days.

On Friday, while they were carrying out the work as usual, an iron rod suddenly broke off from the top portion of the tank and fell on Jameer Hussain. He was moved to the hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

The deceased was identified as A Dharmaraj (53), attached to the Avadi Battalion. He resided at the New Police Quarters in SM Nagar, Avadi. Police sources said that Dharmaraj was part of the Avadi band contingent deployed for the Independence Day celebrations.

Around 8.15 am, he complained of severe chest pain and collapsed on the premises. An ambulance rushed him to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, where he was admitted. Dharmaraj succumbed later in the day without responding to treatment, police said.

After the postmortem, his mortal remains were taken to the Tamil Nadu Special Police Battalion campus in Avadi, where senior officers and colleagues paid their last respects. The body was later taken to his native village in Thoothukudi district, where the last rites will be held on Sunday.

Addressing employees, Asokan highlighted the ideals of freedom, unity and progress envisioned by the nation's founders. He urged employees to uphold integrity, inclusivity and responsibility while contributing to nation-building through professional excellence and civic commitment.

Asokan also shared encouraging milestones in IndianOil’s global brand performance, reaffirming the corporation’s leadership position in the energy sector. The celebrations featured a march-past by Territorial Army personnel and IndianOil security personnel. Long Service Awards were presented to employees who had completed significant years of service with the corporation.

Incentive awards were also given to the children of employees for achieving higher qualifications. The event concluded with cultural performances by IndianOil staff.

The project, valued at around Rs 43 lakh, involved transforming the existing static water fountain into a fully engineered installation featuring choreographed water jets, lighting and customised song programming, all synchronised to create a coordinated audiovisual experience.

Located at the heart of the campus between the central library and the administrative building, Gajendra circle is a familiar gathering point for students and a venue for campus events and celebrations. The landmark is distinguished by its iconic sculpture of two elephants facing opposite directions beneath the central water feature.

IIT-Madras director V Kamakoti said that the initiative was conceived to help students deal with anxiety and stress. “Listening to music, along with water and light, is a great medicine for students to lower their anxiety,” he said.

Dean (students) Satyanarayana Gummadi delivered the welcome address, while music director Ramesh Vinayagam explained the conceptualisation of the fountain. The institute’s press note said that the initiative was aimed at enhancing student wellbeing by creating an accessible space for relaxation amid academic routines.

During the ceremony, the Mayor also released tricolour balloons and received a guard of honour from NCC cadets and band troops. Corporation school students and special children from Guru Vishwaashram Special School presented cultural programmes.

As part of the celebrations, Priya presented appreciation letters to prompt property taxpayers and the Manimegalai Awards to outstanding women self-help groups. She also presented medals and certificates to 180 corporation officials and staff members in recognition of their exemplary service.

Deputy Mayor M Magesh Kumaar, Commissioner GS Sameeran and senior officials attended the celebrations.

At the CMWSSB headquarters, its Managing Director T Anand unfurled the national flag in the presence of senior engineering directors and administrative officials.

Police said that the cash management firm had dispatched a van from a private bank's Velachery branch on Friday night carrying Rs 4.69 crore in 105 cash boxes.

The team ferrying the cash had finished loading the money at 14 ATMs before reaching another ATM on Paper Mills Road. While preparing to load cash into the machine, the employees discovered that three cash boxes were missing.

The team then retraced its route and found two boxes on Murasoli Maran bridge in Perambur, but they were empty. The boxes reportedly contained Rs 24 lakh. They claimed the boxes must have slipped from the vehicle and that the door may not have been properly fastened.

Following a complaint, the ICF police registered a case and began investigating the van's movement and the handling of the cash during the operation.

The staff - a driver, a security guard and two cash custodians - have been detained for questioning. Police are also analysing the CCTV footage from the route covered by the van.

According to the tender notice, CMRL has announced two contracts covering commercial properties and vacant land.

The first contract involves a tender-cum-auction for licensing built-up commercial spaces and vacant land for parking on Jawaharlal Nehru Road at Ekkaduthangal. The second focuses on the licensing of built-up commercial spaces at selected elevated and underground Metro stations in Phase-I and its extensions Metro stations.

The initiative provides prospective businesses with opportunities to establish commercial operations at locations connected to the Metro infrastructure. This will also boost non-fare revenue for CMRL. The inclusion of both elevated and underground stations means the tender covers different categories of Metro properties, while the Ekkaduthangal package separately includes vacant land intended for parking, said CMRL official.

A key feature of the procurement is that it would operate on a rolling basis. The list of properties would be updated as the process progresses and will continue until all contracts are awarded.

The rolling arrangement allows CMRL to update the availability of properties during the tender process rather than limiting the exercise to a single fixed set of spaces. CMRL has also clarified that addition, modification or deletion of spaces will be published only on the designated e-procurement website.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay presented the award during the Independence Day celebrations here. Dr Mohan’s daughter, Dr RM Anjana, MD of the centre, and president of MDRF, received it on his behalf.

Instituted in honour of former President and eminent scientist Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the award recognises individuals for significant contributions to science, humanities and student welfare. Dr Mohan is the first medical doctor to receive the State honour.

For more than 50 years, Dr Mohan has worked to advance diabetes care, research and education, with studies spanning diabetes among Indian populations, complications, genetics, nutrition and prevention. He has authored more than 1,900 scientific publications, which have received over 257,000 citations. His h-index stands at 176 and i10-index at 1,268. He has also been consistently ranked among the world’s top 2% of scientists.

Dr Mohan’s major honours include the Padma Shri, Dr BC Roy National Award, Harold Rifkin Award for Distinguished International Service and Kelly West Award for Epidemiology. In 2025, he received the Diabetes Global Impact Prize from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

The 16-year-old was killed by a group of students in his school led by a Class 11 student, who ganged up and attacked him at a ground near Tiruvottiyur bus terminus on Friday.

The police said that an argument between two students over who is the senior in the school escalated into the fatal attack. Police investigations revealed that the two students had a face-off on Thursday (August 13) and the school headmaster had pacified and sent them on their way.

On Friday evening, after school hours, the Class 12 student was walking back home when the rival student, who was with a group of friends at a ground near Tiruvottiyur bus stop, confronted him. The group ganged up and attacked him and fled the scene.

The injured boy was moved to the Government Stanley Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The Tiruvottiyur police have secured 12 students from the same school in connection with the boy's death.

The police said that all the boys will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) and sent to a government home for boys.

Balamurugan told DT Next that he launched the hunger strike at his residence in Tiruvottiyur after police and officials denied his requests for a venue. "I started my hunger strike on July 27 at my house because police and officials denied my request for a space. I have completed 20 days. The TVK government denied me a venue and tried to suppress my protest. It is acting on the instructions of the BJP and RSS," he alleged.

Balamurugan said his demands included the resignation of the CJI over his reported remarks concerning cockroaches, the resignation of the Union Home Minister over the alleged brutal attack on students in Delhi, and an exemption for Tamil Nadu from NEET. "Until these demands are met, I will continue my hunger strike," he said.

Balamurugan was suspended in January 2024, two days before his retirement, after writing to the President of India seeking the dismissal of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Meanwhile, S Manirathinam, brother of S Anitha and a prominent anti-NEET activist who had also undertaken a hunger strike in Chennai demanding the abolition of NEET and recently concluded his protest, met Balamurugan at his Tiruvottiyur residence and extended his support. Manirathinam appealed to the State government to intervene, hear Balamurugan's demands and take steps to resolve the issue.

The yellow metal is now priced at Rs 1,13,760 per sovereign and Rs 14,220 per gram, after an increase of Rs 20 per gram.

Earlier on August 14, the price of 22-carat gold stood at Rs 1,12,320 per sovereign and Rs 14,040 per gram.

Silver prices remain unchanged

Meanwhile, silver prices remain unchanged and continue to sell for Rs 255 per gram (Rs 2,55,000 per kg) on August 15.

Gold rate today vs gold rate on this day, last year

Gold remains significantly higher compared to last year. Prices have increased from Rs 74,240 per sovereign (Rs 9,280 per gram) on August 15, 2025, to Rs 1,13,760 per sovereign (Rs 14,220 per gram) on August 15, 2026, marking an increase of Rs 39,520 or about 53.23%.

Gold price (22-carat) over the last five days:

August 14, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,12,320 | 1 gram - Rs 14,040

August 13, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,13,760 | 1 gram - Rs 14,220

August 12, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,13,600 | 1 gram - Rs 14,200

August 11, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,14,000 | 1 gram - Rs 14,250

August 10, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,11,600 | 1 gram - Rs 13,950

Silver price over the last five days:

August 14, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 255

August 13, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 260

August 12, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 260

August 11, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 260

August 10, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 250

According to reports, one litre of petrol is being sold at Rs 107.77, while diesel costs Rs 99.55 per litre in Chennai on Saturday.

On May 25, petrol was raised by Rs 2.61 a litre and diesel by Rs 2.71. The increase took cumulative hikes since May 15 to nearly Rs 7.5 per litre.

Until May, fuel prices had largely remained unchanged since April 2022, except for a Rs 2 per litre reduction announced in March 2024 ahead of the national elections.

Why have fuel prices been increased?

Global crude oil prices had surged more than 50 per cent since late February following US-Israeli strikes on Iran and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route.

State-run retailers had delayed passing on higher input costs for weeks, a move the government said was intended to shield consumers from inflation. Opposition parties, however, accused the administration of holding back price increases until after key state elections.

The May 15 increase came after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expanded its electoral footprint by winning three of five state and UT elections, including West Bengal.

Retail fuel prices were first raised by Rs 3 per litre on May 15, followed by a 90-paise increase on May 19 and another hike on May 23, when petrol prices rose by 87 paise and diesel by 91 paise per litre.

On May 25, petrol was raised by Rs 2.61 a litre and diesel by Rs 2.71. The cumulative increase since May 15 stands at nearly Rs 7.5 per litre.

The increase varies across cities due to differences in local taxes.

Petrol rates (per litre) in Chennai across last 5 days:

August 14 - Rs 107.77

August 13 - Rs 107.77

August 12 - Rs 107.77

August 11 - Rs 107.77

August 10 - Rs 107.77

Diesel rates (per litre) in Chennai across last 5 days:

August 14 - Rs 99.55

August 13 - Rs 99.55

August 12 - Rs 99.55

August 11 - Rs 99.55

August 10 - Rs 99.55

Noting that the appeal involved arguable issues and that its final hearing was likely to take some time, Justice M Nirmal Kumar suspended the sentence until disposal of the appeal.

The court directed Shaji to execute a bond for Rs 10,000 with two sureties, and appear before the trial court once every three months, on the first working day from September at 10.30 am. The trial court was permitted to take appropriate action if he breached the conditions.

Shaji, along with his friends Kumar, Syed Anwar and Anil Rao, had been arrested in the case and later released on bail. During the trial, Syed was discharged, while proceedings against Anil were quashed.

The case against Shaji and Kumar was tried by the VII Additional Sessions Court, Chennai. After nearly 13 years of trial, the court convicted Shaji on June 29 and acquitted Kumar.

Shaji was sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and had to pay a fine of Rs 10,000. He was also sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 500 under another charge. Both sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

Challenging the conviction and sentence, Shaji moved the High Court with a criminal appeal. During the hearing, the Government Advocate (Criminal Side), appearing for the police, submitted that there had been initial slackness in the investigation, but the probe was subsequently transferred to and monitored by higher officials, following which a charge sheet was filed

The advocate also contended that the accused had delayed the trial by filing successive petitions and argued that lapses in the investigation could not benefit the petitioner or justify the suffering and denial of justice caused to the victims.

The prosecution further submitted that Shaji had absconded after the trial court’s judgment and was now in prison, and strongly opposed suspension of his sentence.

The department said that 95% of trainees who completed their courses at government ITIs last year secured employment with leading industries.

On Friday, the minister handed over appointment orders to 10 trainees who secured jobs. He also distributed free textbooks, uniforms, footwear and drawing instrument kits to students beginning their training this year.

Five teams comprising 17 trainees from government ITIs that won prizes in the Ninth State-level skill competition conducted by the department in June were awarded Rs 50,000 each along with certificates of appreciation.

Tamil Nadu currently has 132 government ITIs with 36,344 seats and 277 private ITIs with 26,388 seats. Training is offered in 70 engineering and 34 non-engineering trades, including popular courses such as fitter, electrician, AC mechanic, welder and computer-related trades.

Preliminary investigations revealed that a petty argument between two students escalated into one of them ganging up and attacking another leading to his eventual death.

The prime suspect, a Class 11 student, had failed in Class 10 and joined the school after clearing exams. “Two days ago, the two boys had a heated argument over who was senior, which escalated into Friday’s incident,” a police officer said.

On Friday evening, after school, the Class 11 student along with 10 other students, confronted the Class 12 student, which escalated into a brawl. Upon seeing the commotion, members of the public had alerted the police. But by the time the police reached the scene, the Class 12 boy was unconscious.

He was moved to a hospital where he was declared as brought dead after which police moved his body to the Government Stanley Hospital for post-mortem.

Tiruvottiyur Police have registered a case of murder and are investigating.

Sweta was a translator at the hospital. She assisted foreign nationals and patients from other states by translating medical information, explaining treatment procedures and counselling them on hospital charges.

Preliminary probe revealed that Sweta was questioned by the administrative department head and two HR managers over a miscommunication with a patient about fee particulars.

After the meeting, she jumped off the fourth floor. She was rescued and moved to a private hospital for further treatment. Aminjikarai police are investigating.

Her elder son lives abroad while her daughter lives in New Delhi and another son lives in another neighbourhood in Chennai.

Radha’s domestic help, Ammu (31) told her neighbour that repeated knocks on the apartment door had gone unanswered after which the neighbour alerted Radha’s son who lives nearby. When he arrived and opened the apartment, he found his mother dead on a sofa in the living room with injuries to her face and neck.

Police reached the scene and moved her body to a hospital. They examined CCTV footage from a neighbouring building and identified two men entering the locality. While questioning, police found that Ammu had conspired with the duo to murder Radha and rob her of her jewellery.

Investigators said Ammu had returned to the apartment the next morning and pretended to discover the crime in an attempt to divert suspicion. Police recovered 12 sovereigns of gold jewellery from the accused.

Pondy Bazaar Police have arrested her and the duo, and are questioning them.

“The entire physical work from the Railway side has been completed. The track and platform part is the main component for us. That work, we got a deposit from the State government and we have completed it,” said Shailendra Singh, GM, Chennai Railway Division.

He added that the station’s platform 1 was completed, while Platforms 2 and 3 were nearing completion. A temporary booking office and toilet block have also been completed on Platform 1.

“The remaining major work is the skywalk connecting the bus terminus with the railway station across GST Road,” he added.

The skywalk is crucial as it would allow passengers from the terminus to reach the railway station without crossing GST Road at the road level. “Around 30% of the work is completed. The portion crossing the railway tracks requires sanction from the Principal Chief Engineer, Southern Railway, for which the State government has submitted a request,” Singh stated.

Meanwhile, the Railways and the State government are working on a draft MoU to finalise the maintenance arrangements after the station is commissioned.

The Chennai Railway Division crossed the Rs 5,000 crore mark in annual earnings for the first time, recording Rs 5,038.30 crore in 2025-26, marking a 9.26% increase over the previous financial year. Passenger traffic also increased during the year, with 432.98 million travelling on its services, up from 425 million in 2024-25. Freight loading stood at 11.33 million tonnes, registering a 6.20% increase.

Four major capacity augmentation projects sanctioned by the Railway Board are in different stages of preparation – Chengalpattu-Arakkonam doubling project, Tambaram-Chengalpattu fourth line, Perambur-Ambattur fifth and sixth lines, and Attipattu-Gummidipoondi third and fourth lines.

The 67.79-km Chengalpattu-Arakkonam doubling project has a sanctioned cost of Rs. 926.52 crore. Once completed, the capacity of the section is expected to increase from 13 trains a day to up to 50 trains a day. The project is also an important link in the proposed 192-km circular suburban rail grid connecting Beach, Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Arakkonam and Avadi.

The Tambaram-Chengalpattu fourth line, covering 30.021 km, has a project cost of Rs 713.56 crore. The 6.4-km Perambur-Ambattur fifth and sixth lines have been sanctioned at Rs 177.82 crore, while the 22.52-km Attipattu-Gummidipoondi third and fourth line project has a sanctioned cost of Rs 365.42 crore.

Though the projects have received sanction, execution has not begun uniformly across the four corridors. The division said that the works were at different stages, including drawing approvals, tendering and tender finalisation, and execution will follow these processes.

The arrested men have been identified as Amarnath Jaiswal (64), a notorious railway robber, and his associate Rajan Kumar.

While Jaiswal was arrested in Siliguri in West Bengal, Kumar was arrested in Patna in Bihar. Police recovered 4 lakh cash from Kumar. However, the stolen diamond jewellery has not yet been recovered.

Police are now searching for two more suspects – Ranjan Kumar and Ashok Kumar – who are believed to have been involved in the robbery.

Deepak Sanchetti (47), a resident of Vepery, works as a manager at a diamond and gold jewellery showroom in T Nagar. On July 23, he travelled from Madurai to Chennai on Ananthapuri Express carrying sample diamond jewellery worth around 3 crore in a bag.

On the morning of July 24, before reaching Tambaram, Deepak noticed that the bag was missing and filed a complaint with the Tambaram Railway Police. Since an Apple Watch was inside the stolen bag, police tracked its location and found that it was showing between Tiruchy and Vriddhachalam. Based on this clue, special teams examined CCTV footage and passenger details and found that Jaiswal, along with Ranjan and Ashok, had travelled in the same coach as Deepak. A special team arrested Jaiswal in West Bengal and arrested him with the help of local police. Another team travelled to Patna and arrested Kumar.

During interrogation, police found that Jaiswal had 36 cases against him at various railway police stations in the country. Police said he was known for travelling along with passengers and stealing their belongings within a short span of time.

Police suspect that when Deepak had gone to the washroom between Tiruchy and Vriddhachalam, the accused had stolen the bag, taken the jewellery from the bag in the train toilet and transferred it to their own bags before throwing the original with the Apple Watch out of the moving train.

Police said they had travelled up to Chennai and later contacted Kumar, who was called to Chennai by flight and handed over the stolen jewellery.

Freedom begins with the right to choose

At 18, Samyuktha Adurthi started her own company. The experience changed what freedom meant to her. “I feel like at this stage, freedom does not mean doing whatever I want without any consequences. I feel like it means having the right to choose my own path and having the strength to accept and face those consequences,” Samyuktha says.

Initially, she associated freedom with making her own money and being able to make decisions without permission. But building a company while pursuing college made her see freedom differently. “A lot of people confuse freedom with having no responsibility. But true freedom for me is the ability to decide which responsibility I want to take.”

Santhosh, an intern at a film production company, sees that ability to choose as the freedom to experiment. “Freedom means the freedom to experiment with life. The freedom that enables one to make decisions about their life.” But that freedom exists alongside dependence. “Financially, I'm still dependent on my parents, but my parents support me in whatever decision I make.”

When money becomes freedom

For Samyuktha Adurthi, financial independence transformed that ability to choose. “I started working for freedom. I did not work for money,” she says. Earning her own money, she says, gives her negotiating power, confidence and the power and privilege to walk away from scenarios that make you uncomfortable.

Mukhilan, who works at an MNC, sees financial independence differently. “Adult money is different,” he says. But for him, freedom also means learning to step away from FOMO (fear of missing out) — the pressure to keep up with the things everyone else seems to have. “The fear of missing out is running on a treadmill that won't stop until you stop it.”

Kannan S, a college student, says that financial freedom means being able to look after himself. “Freedom means to be financially independent and being able to take care of myself without anyone's help.” He feels independent when it comes to choosing his education and career, but money remains a limitation. “I need to be a bit cautious in spending the leisure money I'll be having since no ‘extra’ money would be given and each transfer needs a proper explanation.”

The pressures that come with choosing

Mukhilan opines that the biggest barrier to freedom at this stage is career pressure. He describes a corporate world where comparison can extend from salary and education to lifestyle and appearance. “Benchmarking and setting up standards high is great for pushing the human limits,” he says, but “deep down, the crux of this social judgement and trying harder to constantly fit into society will cost one’s emotional freedom.”

Santhosh sees a different pressure, particularly for men. “Traditionally, we have applied roles to genders and the rule dictates men should work hard, earn money, and provide for the family.” He says the expectation makes him rethink a future where he can “allow myself to be selfish and ‘provide’ and look after myself well.”

Kannan also recognises that expectation, saying men are traditionally expected to be the only breadwinner, even as he notices a positive change among his generation.

For women, freedom can come with a checklist

For 19-year-old Nirmalya Madhu, the limits can appear in small decisions. She describes a recent incident when she took a different road home after dance class and her parents questioned her about it. “I kept thinking, ‘If I'm free to choose what I study and where I study, why can't I even choose which road I want to take home?’” she asks. The incident made her question whether she was truly free in the smaller choices that make her feel independent.

She adds that gender can mean having fewer freedoms around going out, travelling or simply making choices. “Maybe if I had been born a boy, I would have had at least a little more freedom,” she says, adding that “even an extra five per cent of freedom would sometimes feel significant to me.”

Samyuktha's experience is different but carries a similar complication. As a young woman and founder, she says she often has to prove herself professionally. “For many young women, freedom is technically available, like you can; freedom is there, but there is a checklist that has to be ticked off.”

Is Gen Z emotionally freer?

Nirmalya feels her generation has greater freedom to express itself. “Gen Z women have more freedom to express themselves compared to previous generations,” she says, pointing to conversations around sexuality, feelings, emotions, mental health, family pressure and work pressure. She also sees social media as having created spaces for young people to discuss their experiences.

The FOBs will come up at Urapakkam near Sivan Temple, Guduvanchery near the EB office, Guduvanchery near the railway station and MM Nagar near Ford Junction.

The four locations have been identified as black spots, and the project is intended to improve pedestrian safety on the highway. The Rs 11.38-crore project has several safety features beyond the pedestrian bridges. CCTV cameras will be installed at all four locations and connected to the Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) at the NH-32 toll plaza, enabling the facilities to be monitored remotely.

The FOBs will have lifts on both sides of the highway, each capable of carrying at least 16 pedestrians. This is expected to make the crossings more accessible to senior citizens and people with mobility difficulties.

The entire pedestrian walkway, including the approaches, staircases and lift areas, will be illuminated. NHAI has also planned solar panels over the FOBs and their approach ramps.

Road safety infrastructure will include guard rails, road studs, chevron signs and information, cautionary and regulatory signboards around the crossings. The structures will maintain a minimum vertical clearance of 5.5 metres above the highway.

The proposed FOB near the Guduvanchery railway station is likely to be particularly useful for commuters and pedestrians accessing the station. The other locations also witness pedestrian movement across the busy highway.

NHAI had already built lift-equipped FOBs at several locations along the corridor in 2024. These included Perungalathur near Iraniyamman Temple, Vandalur near the railway station, Thailavaram near Estancia Tech Park, Thailavaram near Valliammal Engineering College, Kattankolathur Junction, Maraimalai Junction near Township and Singaperumal Koil railway station.