Chennai Book Fair 2015

The previous edition of the Chennai Book Fair was way better at crowd and parking management, if the 4 ‘P’s [parking lots/pollution control/public toilets//police presence] statistics were taken as an indication. 

A quick look to the right of this blog would give a snap of the parking lot last year, which was managed effectively by the police personnel who manned the entire parking bays. This year, since the parking bay had by now been turned into a playing court, parking was more chaotic than last year! Adding to the woes, the pathways and the stall venues, especially the food courts, were filled with pollution (both air and land!!!), and very little was done to keep pollution under check, as was done in the previous editions of the Fair.

Crowd management wasn’t that effective too, as police personnel were thinly deployed, compared to last year! Rising number of food courts is testimony to the fact that, people come to the fair for a sort of comprehensive package – food for the mind as well as for the body!

Cleaning equipment, designed by some dynamic novices, [maybe as part of their project work in final year engineering], was up for sale, and the equipment, the size of a huge pen, could be fitted in any used MNC Cola drinks pet bottles! Many who passed by these equipments, had more of a smile on their faces on the novel find, than wanting to go for it!

Indeed, right from Arabian nuts to soap bubble toys, you have them all there!

Although crowds have only increased over the years, some of the important public conveniences like public toilets were a rarity! This is one aspect that needs to be looked into!! Secondly, pollution was rampant, with no proper waste bins in place. Thirdly, there was hardly a policeman/woman around! The very presence of police personnel could act as a deterrent for many anti-social elements.

The space crunch was perceptible all along the way!

It's time the government stepped in, and gave the organisers a permanent space of their own wherein the exhibitors have minimum worries on the organisational front! This would not only encourage book lovers to participate enthusiastically in such Fairs, but also help in spreading the printed word without much ado!

For reports on the past two editions of the Chennai Book Fair kindly click HERE: 2014, 2013