The Railway Workshop – an iconic entity in ponmalai – is getting modernised.
I don’t remember this happening for a long time. But whenever I go between Chennai and Trichy by train, Golden Rock workshop is the reminder for me to pick up my bags and get ready to depart in TPJ. But also, sometimes, the trains will stop in Golden Rock due to non-availability of signal to get into TPJ and it will just frustrate me like crazy. So I have no choice but to stare at the Golden Rock workshops till the train starts.
Coming back to modernisation, I always thought that the railway infrastructure that we have in India is among the best. Considering after seeing how railways are poorly utilised in US and Gulf countries, ( Europe is awesome) , I wish we can supply and service many countries with our expertise in Railways.
As part of GoldenRock modernisation plan ,
- bulk of the funds amounting to Rs. 68.78 crore would be spent for acquiring modern mechanical equipment and replacement of the old machines, while Rs. 15.14 crore would be utilised for augmenting infrastructure facilities and repairs of structures under ‘civil’ works.
- As part of the technological upgrade plan, a modern laboratory will be established at a cost of Rs. 2.5 crore inside the workshop for material testing which is at present being done in Chennai.
- A special purpose multi-station machine –‘PAMA’ – costing Rs. 40 crore for carrying out repairs of engine blocks; a robotic welding system with automation and portable plasma profile cutting machine are some of the major advanced equipment to be procured under the modernisation.
- The three Traversors, which are the lifeline of the workshop, would be replaced and the Basic Training Centre upgraded.
- Work on the huge shed inside the workshop to accommodate high horsepower General Motors locomotives would be completed before July.
Air India Express launched its twice a week ( Thursday and Saturday) flight connecting Trichy and AbuDhabi .
The flight will depart Chennai at 12.50 p.m. and arrive here at 1.40 p.m. It would leave for Abu Dhabi at 2.30 p.m.
In the return direction, the flight will arrive at Tiruchi from Abu Dhabi at 11.55 p.m. and depart for Chennai at 12.50 a.m. It will reach Chennai at 1.40 a.m.
The airline offers attractive one way fare starting from Rs.6,439 from Tiruchi to Abu Dhabi.
Exnora in Trichy has brought quite a few changes to the Trichy city with their handling of cleanliness issues. Now they are opening a branch in Valanthai Village in Andimadam taluk in ariyalur.
The opening of the branch was preceded by health and hygiene promotion activities undertaken for many months by the youth with guidance from Tiruchi Exnora. According to R. Santhanam, Joint Secretary, Tiruchi District Exnora, mass cleaning of the village was undertaken once in three months. The simultaneous planting of saplings now adds greenery to the village.
An Exnora garbage collection push cart, hearse vehicle, freezer box and an ambulance of Tiruchi District Exnora were entrusted to the new branch. Also , Note books, bags, prizes and scholarships were distributed to meritorious students of valanthai from the village community development fund.
Keep the good things coming, Exnora.
With the doom and gloom world over encompassing the real estate market, smart / shrewd players in real estate are moving in to take on stakes in markets with potential especially in Tier II cities in India. One such investment is being planned by Fire Capital, a global private equity fund. It is planning to invest up-to $500 million over the next five years in various tier II cities including Trichy. No specific project information is released . But even if the piece of the investment is small, it is an encouraging sign to see that Trichy figuring in such plans.
IIM Trichy starts classes from next academic year in its BHEL campus. The administrative office for IIM will be set in MHD building. ( I beg to ask why ? Can’ t they have a building of their own. ) .
The institute campus will come up in a 200-acre site given by the Tamil Nadu government which is in the premises of Bharathidasan University, close to Anna University-Tiruchi on Pudukottai road, 18 km from the town. The IIM-Tiruchi was one among the six institutes sanctioned by the HRD ministry in March 2008, as part of 11th five-year plan. Until, IIM tricy can move to the new site and stand on its own, IIM-Bangalore has been vested with the responsibility of mentoring IIM-Tiruchi.
Good. .We have Anna University, NIT , BIM and IIM.. and also some of the great existing colleges and universities.
