MRF in Trichy

MRF, a pioneer in Tyre manufacturing in India, is expecting to complete its plant in 2008. It is expected that MRF will invest about 600 Cr to 700 Cr in this plant. In addition to manufacturing plant, this will also have its own testing track. This is  great for Trichy as MRF is aiming to increase its overseas revenue from 10% to 50%. This drive coupled with the explosion of vehicles sales in India, should make this plant a very profitable to the company.

Also, this will diversify Trichy’s growth.  Eventhough we are all excited about IT companies in Trichy, I think mechanical companies like MRF will bring more business to our city and not to mention the employment opportunities from its ancillary units to support MRF.

We need this in Trichy…  Will other great mechanical companies look at this as an example and move in and around Trichy.

Certainly we hope so.

 

Helmet Rule – Amended

There is an amendment to the Helmet rule in TN which reads like this.

Compulsory wearing of helmet shall not apply to

1) persons who belong to Meivazhi Sabha or Meivazhi Salai who wear turban while riding a motorcycle 

2) woman or child riding on motorcycle as pillion riders.

When I read this I could not help myself but to laugh out loud.  In Trichy, I don’t see anyone wearing helmets in two wheelers be it male , female , driver or pillion rider. Recently I was in Chennai and did not see much use there as well.

So when the rule itself is not followed / enforced, why bother amending it

Why waste time and paper.

Why not just eat crow and withdraw the rule itself citing the incapability of adherence and enforcement.

 

Anna University- part time, Semester Update

Anna University in Trichy is bringing back semester system for its first year’s curriculum again. In deference to the requests from the principals of affiliated colleges, the VC of AU thinks that 14 weeks is enough for the students to get a handle on the first semester. The semester system for the first year was did away two years ago.

The university is looking forward to starting the classes for first year students by August end and is likely to cut the vacation.

Meanwhile, classes for the 840 second, third and final year students commenced on Wednesday.

Part-time B.E. programmes has been introduced in four areas –

• Electronics and Communication Engineering;
• Electrical and Electronics Engineering;  
• Computer Science Engineering;
• Mechanical Engineering.

Classes for these parttime  programmes will commence on August 6.

They still have 23 vacancies for part time programmes and supplementary counselling would be held on August 4to fill the remaining seats, said Mr. Ramachandran, VC of AU, Trichy.

You can get web site details for AU from here

 

Chikungunya in Trichy ?

The outbreak of chikungunya in Kerala had prompted the corporation to take several precautionary measures to prevent the outbreak and spread of this painful disease in Trichy and surrounding areas. This disease which primarily spread through the mosquitoes makes the joints in the body weak and puts the patients in bed for three days atleast. The trichy authorities have intensified fogging activities on all the things that come from Kerala and also started to monitor the inflow of patients into the hospitals with symptoms. Last year was a very painful experiences for a lot of the people with this disease and hopefully is not repeated this year.

NO cases of chikungunya  have been reported in any part of the district so far but the the village panchayats have been instructed to ensure that there was no water logging in their areas to prevent breeding of mosquitoes. Monitoring of fever cases from the Private Health Clinics, Government Hospitals and private nursing homes is being done on a daily basis since May to compare it with the last year’s trend and ascertain if there is any increase in the number of fever cases. Fogging operations have also been intensified in all wards to prevent any breeding of mosquitoes.

 

Exnora Drive in Trichy

Excellent Novel Radical ( EXNORA) is an international organisation whose actions raises the awareness of cleanliness among the public, was running a campaign to highlight importance of planting saplings, clean environment and the control of pollution in Trichy on World Environment Day.

It is a very noble effort and we have seen that cleanliness in the public places maintained by the Organisation goes up a notch. The volunteers distributed handbills carrying messages on the need to protect the environment to all public and private places and offices.

Increasing awareness is great among people. But one thing that we have to think about is how we do it. By handing out handbills to the public in thousands is just going to increase the clutter in streets because people are used to throw things on the road without any consciousness. Also, trying to protect the environment by using a tool ( paper) which actually is produced by destroying trees / forest sounds illogical.

May be they can have a big screen print banner in every public office / school and major thoroughfares which will catch the eye of the public but they will not have anything to throw away.

Will Exnora change its tactics of public Awareness. ?

 

Railway Stations Getting Cleaner

We all know that when more people get together in a place , cleanliness always take a back seat, especially in India. One of those places is Railway stations. Now the Trichy Railway Division started a campaign where they will clean two stations in a month. In those stations where there were no cleaning staff, the station masters would be given funds to engage private labourers to keep the station premises clean. As part of the campaign, the Divisional Railway Manager distributed pamphlets containing messages on cleanliness to the passengers and there was a rally also with placards.

This is an idea with noble intention which I think is going to go the way of Exnora trying to clean up Trichy. It works in some places where there is cooperation from people but for the most part this will be only be a good marketing campaigns and good news headlines. It is in our interest as Tiruchians to do the best by playing by the civic rules so that all of them can be benefited by cleaner railway stations.

Next should be Bus stands.

 

Madurai Highway – update

It appears that the Madurai – Trichy highway corridor is going to be big in commerce and goods movement. The swiftness with which the action was taken to replace / relocate the residents in Khaja Nagar so that the critical piece of the road could be constructed stands evidence to that. The residents were taken on a bus trip to Nagamangalam where 100 constructed houses are ready to be occupied and more could be constructed soon.But the Khaja nagar residents did not like that location and hence expressed displeasure / disagreement and insisted that they want home sites. After Mr Nehru’ s dialogue with them , they agreed to “accept” the home site pattas in Suriyur and they are likely to get free home sites from the government so that the highway can come up.

This was a swift resolution to a very sensitive issue.

 

Trichy , Srirangam Railway stations get Facelift

Sabash Sariyaana Potti..

While Trichy Airport is getting a big facelift in terms of amenities and connections, Trichy and Srirangam railway stations are getting extra amenities to augment passenger experiences.

Trichy railway station gets 

• Improvements to the second point of entry
• Provision of additional shelters on Platforms 2, 3, 4 and 5
• Improvements to the concourse and circulating areas
• An air-conditioned lounge
• An air-conditioned dormitory on the first floor (is in an advanced stage).
• surveillance cameras to be installed within three months
• A luggage scanner

Srirangam Station gets

• raised platforms.
• Subway for passengers.

Source: The Hindu

 

Seat belts

We were all looking to find out how the tiruchy people will cope up with the new helmet rule for two wheelers. It went very well, I should say. It appears that 98% of the two wheeler drivers complied and there was only 664 cases of violations booked. ( It is very less when compared to the number of two wheelers fly on the road.)

But now the Deputy Police Commisioner of Trichy is saying that the Four wheeler drivers and front seat passenger should wear seat belts while traveling. This law it appears is part of the helmet rule.

The police said that as per Government Order No. 658, fastening of seat belt was compulsory for those driving a four-wheeler and those seated in the front seat of the vehicle, with effect from June 1.

Great !! I like this …But I think it requires a small clarification. What happens when you rode on an ambassador car which has bench seats in the front ( Yeah ! even in 21st Century) which will be filled by atleast two passengers. Who gets the seat belt ?

Is there a plan to force the existing car owners without seat belts in their car to  install seat belt as a package.. ?

 

Trichy Railway Station upgrade

We all know Trichy railway Station is a loner in the midst of the busy Junction / cantonment area.  Lots of public will board the train in Trichy Fort and Srirangam just because they are in the areas close to the population than Trichy Junction. Sometimes it makes me wonder whether that is why the station is always in a sombre mood. But now the slow ‘n sombre Trichy station is getting a new extensions to the shelter in the platform 1 and 1 A. They are a big reprive for the passengers who wait in the scorching sun to board the train. The trains got longer and longer to accomodate more passengers and hence 50% of the trains will be outside of the station when parked. But now atleast most of them will be inside the shelter which will allow the elderly and children board the trains from the platform and not from the ground. ( from where the steps to thecoach will be very uncomfortable).