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Tuesday, January 20, 2009
ABYTE OF LIFE
DEFENDING CHAMPION
sails through
FREE CIRCULATION
Vol. 3No. 11
RAVEENA TANDON
on her re-entry
1008
 ADIEU,CHENNAICENTRALPRISON
Built in 1837, thehistoric structure will be bulldozed soon tomake room for theMetro Rail Project and an extension of the GH
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   P   H   O   T   O  :   R .   R   A   V   I   N   D   R   A   N
 
ERGO
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
NAMMA CHENNAI
02
 T
he Chennai Trekking Club is organisingthree parallel treks the coming weekend.A three-day trek to Venkateswara Hills inSouth Andhra, three-day trek to BandajjeArbi and two-day trek to Javadi Hills.
 Venkateswara Hills; January 24-26
Walk the talk across a mountain stream insidethe Venkateswara National Reserve. Withsmall trails, boulders and rocks, the trekpromises to be real fun for first-timers. Thegroup will start from Chennai on Saturdaymorning and camp at the hill town for twonights. The place is four hours north ofChennai and the trek will cover around 30kms.
Bandajje Arbi; January 24 – 26
The trek would officially launch the CTC -Bangalore Chapter. A motley crowd of CTCmembers would organise frequent treks toenchanting locations all along Western Ghatsand North, North-West Karnataka.Walk down the jungle trail and climb up thehills through rain forests to view theenchanting Bandajje waterfalls.You need to be in good physical condition totake this trek. Be prepared to walk for around15 kms.
Javadhu Hills; January 24 and 25
For those of you who thought armanis,bvlgaris and hermes were the symbol offragrances, it’s time to think again. Javadhuhills will help you explore more. The hill islocated in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu and ishome to hundreds of sandalwood trees. Theclub members will go to Kotai Malai (ruins ofan old fort lie enroute to the peak), BhimaFalls and along the Kamandalam river throughforests.
Visit www.chennaitrekkers.org to know more about the last date to register for each of these treks and other details.
Join the club
I
f you are planning totake the MarinaBeach Road this week, be prepared totake some diversions in your regular route. Re-public Day rehearsalshave started in the city. And, like every year, thebeach road stretch –from the Light House toKannagi Statue – is cor-doned for a few hours inpreparation for the D-Day.The first sign of that was seen on Monday morning, 8 a.m. to bespecific. The Army, Na-vy, Coast Guard, policeand NCC, among others,conducted mock drillsalong the road. Adding colour to the 45-minuterehearsal was culturalshows by school and col-lege students, though it was sans the colourfuldresses.If you are a regular walker on the beach anddon’t mind catching glimpses of all that goesin preparation for Janu-ary 26, this is yourchance and a perfecttreat. Especially the nexttwo rehearsals (no day has so far been decidedupon) where the Navy  will show its mightthrough helicopters,military tanks and otherartilleries. How many of us are privileged to watch Republic Day from the VIP boxes?
■
Ergo Correspondent 
R-Day blues!
NO WAY!
Diamonds for the lady 
Tanishq is offering discount up to 25 per centon its diamond jewellery. The offer is on tillJanuary 22 at all Tanishq outlets.
1. Learning the rightmoves2. Chennai TrafficPolice go in sync3. Officers, you arenot in harmony.
PHOTOS: R. RAVINDRAN
123
 
 T
he historic Chennai Central Prison, in theheart of the city opposite Chennai CentralStation, is awaiting the bulldozer. In a few days’ time, the former jail will make way forthe upcoming Metro Rail Project and also anextension of the Government General Hospital.The British structure, constructed in 1837, isbuilt on a sprawling 13 acres, housing 257 cellsinside a total of 12 blocks. Then serving as apenitentiary, the prison was also a transit jail forprisoners taken to the Cellular Jail in Port Blair, Andaman. Many famous names from history books, including Veer Savarkar, were inmateshere.Turned Central Prison in 1957 till it was shift-ed to Puzhal in December 2006, the historicprison has housed several leading state politic-ians, including former Chief Ministers C.N. An-nadurai and J. Jayalalithaa and present CM M.Karunanidhi. Even LTTE supremo VellupillaiPrabhakaran was lodged here between 1985 and1986.In November 1999, a prison riot broke outfollowing the death of an inmate and two jailofficials were killed brutally. Additional Director General of Police (Pris-ons) R. Natraj visited the complex of the formerprison on Monday afternoon. “The complex hasbeen formally handed over for the constructionof the Metro Rail Project and an extension of theOP block of the Government General Hospital.The structure will be razed down in a few days,”he said. “The prison doesn’t have much histor-ical significance except for some freedom fight-ers who have been inmates here. Thedilapidated condition of the prison rules out any preservation work. Moreover, the land will beused for a good cause,” he added.One of the primary reasons behind shifting the prison was its proximity to the railway sta-tion, bus stop and port, which could provide aneasy escape route for its inmates. The first pris-oners to escape the jail post-Independence, inthe late ‘80s, were the notorious criminal AutoShankar, his brother and two of his accomplices.Later, a group of LTTE members also jumpedthe prison wall and escaped on the train.
■
The 172-year-old Chennai Central Prison will soon make way for the Metro Rail Project and GH extension
The historic prison has housedseveral leading state politicians,including former Chief MinistersC.N. Annadurai andJ. Jayalalithaa and presentCM M. Karunanidhi. EvenLTTE supremo VellupillaiPrabhakaran was lodged here.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
03
Former prison to be razed
(From top) One last visit tothe former prison complexby ADGP (Prisons) R. Natrajalong with press andprison staff on Mondayafternoon; a cell corridor;an inside and outside viewof a prison cell.
PHOTOS: R.RAVINDRAN
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