Jagannath G

CHENNAI: Fewer road crashes but more deaths. That is the disturbing road safety picture emerging from Chennai in the first half of 2026, with the city recording an 8.44% rise in fatalities despite a 2.68% decline in accidents, compared with the corresponding period last year. According to the provisional road accident analysis for June 2026, Chennai recorded 1,996 accidents and 257 deaths up to June this year, against 2,051 accidents and 237 deaths during the same period in 2025.

CHENNAI: The State Highways Department has planned to extend two crucial bridges, the Basin Bridge and the Vyasarpadi Road Over Bridge (ROB) on Erukkancheri High Road, to ease persistent traffic congestion in North Chennai. An announcement to this effect was made by PWD and Highways Minister Aadhav Arjuna during the Assembly session. The department will initially prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) for both projects at an estimated cost of Rs 20 lakh each.

CHENNAI: Electricity consumers struggling with unannounced power cuts are now facing another problem: they cannot reach either TNPDCL officials in the city or Fuse of Call (FOC) centres responsible for addressing their complaints. Several consumers who tried calling local engineers and field staff on their official corporate user group (CUG) numbers said the calls failed to connect, with an automated message stating that the numbers did not have an incoming call facility.