32 points in my head

Its 420 in the morning(Mr Bibhash Dash damn you for making this number so important!!) back home after a evening/night of work and sitting in front of the computer wide awake like its three in the afternoon(damn you New Indian express canteen's Tea for only rupees two!!!)

Im employed and even though Its been just four days now am im loving every moment of it!! , the office is full of relaxed and mature individuals with a clear sense of where they are going or what has to be done.

I think this is a moment i should sit back and reflect. Typing down in full paragraphs is one hell of an effort so me thinks... will do it in points.

1) Im twenty two years-10 months-and have a full paying job

2) Two degrees from two prestigious institutions

3) Value My family lot they mean the world

4) Have the privilege of being surrounded by Foodies (not many people can say my brother is a professional chef!!! :-) )

5) We take Newspaper content for granted but never realise the effort that goes into it...

6) Cars and bikes are the greatest inventions to be well.....invented!!!

7) Hunger is the cause of suffering...a hungry human will heed to nothing....remove the hunger and then discussion of other things can start.

8)Warren G has an awesome sense of sound...if just G Funk had been successful

9)everything has a limit....what separates the sensible from the wasted and lost cause is knowing the limit

10) We Need to improve our road systems...it is a nightmare for those who love it and well a nightmare for those who hate it...

11) The entire Maoist war is a shame on our system....using airstrikes would be a mistake that would be unforgivable... perhaps there is a better way but it will take too much from both sides to arrive there...so lets hope it is not LTTE all over again. R.I.P all our brave soldiers who lost their lives.

12) The Manglore Air crash is a shame....come on!!! 45% educated population (me included) not one of us could say that an airport like that was too dangerous and a disaster waiting to happened... R.I.P victims of the crash.

13)Going to a boarding school puts life in a different perspective

14) I still say dump garbage in volcanoes or send it into outer space

15) Not being able to draw is all that it is holding me back from creating "side along/ in the background man...the super hero who is there when he is not there.

16) Vadivelu and Vivekh rule in Tamil comedy

17) There is only one "Whey"to make Dahi

18) When you read the headline "A Raja ready for a probe"....you stop feeling irritated that he's scammed us and laugh your ass off!!!

19) when your fat/large with a "few" pounds....fit is a very important... especially when it is followed by the word into....

20) Bhagwanji your the Main scene....your omni presence is what makes us live the right way

21) Tirupathi is a experience...it can be organized in a better way...if only they would try....but those 20 seconds in front of the idol makes everything seem right...

22) I want a Classic Maruthi 800 complete with Jap engine and old reg plates!!!

23) life is a journey get on the road as much as you can...

24) I cant believe i've reached point number 24!!

25) Chennai rules!!

26) Would love to own a place in Udupi/Manipal/near Anjuna beach

27) Trance rules

28) I would like to own five cows and name them Mallika, Lakshmi,Rani,Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson... don't ask me why the last two names...just a wild thought

29) Or three dogs Named Ludwig, Van and Beethoven

30) Science fiction rules

31) extremism never helps

32)thank you is greatest word which is where i will say the same and say tata!!

Story of the underdog( i think so...)

An analysis of the rise and growth of the character of Michael Corleone from the novel “The Godfather”( here is the link for the trailer...if you have not seen the movie go watch it...!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf16Vc3iZjE)

“I understand. You found paradise in America, you had a good trade, and you made a good living. The police protected you and there were courts of law. And you didn't need a friend like me. But, uh, now you come to me, and you say: "Don Corleone, give me justice." But you don't ask with respect. You don't offer friendship. You don't even think to call me Godfather. Instead, you come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married, and you ask me to do murder for money.”

Vito” Don” Corleone

The Godfather

The Godfather is a fiction novel written by Italian American author Mario Puzo. It is loosely based on the “five Mafia families of New York” that were in power during the writing of the novel.

The plot

Set in the period of 1945 to 1955 it is a brutal yet well written tale of the Corleone family and their ascension to power in the New York Crime scene of that era. It captures and chronicles the transformational journey and the rise of Michael Corleone from the reluctant son who wants to choose a life of legitimacy to the ruthless mob boss attempting leave his mark on the regime.

In seeking to eke out the underdog of this story Michael Corleone we must first know and understand some of important characters that influence and ultimately pave his path to power.

Vito “Don” Corleone

The head of the Corleone family his role is seemingly brief yet very important. He is one of the most influential dons of the mob families. His role in giving rise to the true nature of the underdog comes at a terrible price he is wounded severely. It is the drama of this wounding that pushes Michael to act in a manner that changes his course of destiny.

Santino “Sonny” Corleone

He is the elder brother of Michael Corleone and becomes the head of the family when Don Corleone is injured. He was known to be brash and short tempered. In an attempt to de stabilize him during his ruling he is setup by his brother in law and members of the rival families and is killed during a drive-by shoot out.

Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo

A pivotal character, he is basically a rival Mob boss who wants to traffic heroin in New York. His attempt to enlist the aid of the Corleone Family in terms of police and street safety is turned down after the Don Corleone tells him that drugs will ruin the neighborhood and society. It is this incident and his planning that leads to the shooting of Don Corleone.

Mark Mclucksy

The body guard of The Turk he is a corrupt police Commissioner. He is murdered along with the Turk during the course of the story.

Carlo Rizzi

Married to the sister of Michael and Sonny he is involved in the plot that led to the shooting and death of Sonny.

Tom Hagen

He is the adopted son of Don Corleone and the Consigliore (advisor) of the family.

The Mafia

The mafia or “La Cosa Nostra” is a ruthless criminal organization deeply divided within into many families and clans. Due its very basic nature of being crime ridden it exists as an “every man for himself” alter- reality world, where personal interests are the only real importance. In such a world respect for a clan is only earned by its misdeeds and ability to criminalise.

It is in such an existence and plot we see consequences and events unfolding that lead to the “blooming” of the character Michael Corleone.

The evolution of Michael Corleone

The story beings with the wedding of Costanzia “Connie” Corleone, which takes place just after the end of the Second World War. Being the younger son he is always treated as the softer one and from a young age attempts to choose a path different from what his family does ultimately He returns from the war as a decorated marine (a decision which his family looked down upon).

The plot begins to unfold when “The Turk” along with the help of a rival family (Tataglia) he attempts to make a deal with Don Corleone to start trafficking Heroin in the city going along the lines of sharing profits in return for protection from the politicians and the police.

The don refuses him saying that drugs will ruin society and that such an association will jeopardize his political connections. In retaliation he orders an assassination attempt on the don which is partly successful. This is done in the hope that Sonny who will become thee next head of the family will be easier to manipulate and be convinced of the deal.

Surviving the assassination attempt the don begins to recuperate in a hospital. One night while visiting him in the Hospital Michael realizes that a second assassination attempt has been planned. He foils the attempt but is injured in the process.

After this incident the Turk calls for a meeting with the Corleone family. Realizing that he is a threat to the family Michael decides to assassinate him. In a spectacularly planned assassination Michael kills both the Turk and the Police Commissioner and then escapes to Sicily where he hides till the heat is off him. In Italy he courts and marries the daughter of a local bar owner. During the course of his stay in Italy the girl is killed when a car bomb intended for Michael explodes and kills her.

Also At this point of time Sonny Corleone is killed after he is setup and ambushed, with the don in retirement Michael returns to America and assumes control of the family.

Taking up power he creates and executes a plan in which the heads of all the rival families as well as those who were responsible for Sonny’s death are killed. In doing so he establishes complete control of New York City becoming the new Don.

Thus we see the rise of Michael from the role of the underdog to the role of the Don after all he was made an offer he could not refuse.

.

my first auto expo

It was upon a chance encounter that I happened to see a full page advert for a car expo taking place near my house. As a life long vehicle enthusiast this was an opportunity that was too good to miss.

I was having an odd thought process as I entered the expo grounds on one hand it would be the first time I would be going to a vehicle exhibition in my twenty two years of existence. On the other hand this was Chennai city….as much as I loved the place it never ceased to raise my expectations and then make me throw them out of the window.

The first thing that struck me was the fact that the exhibition was really small and had more people than cars. Just outside the arena was a giant Cadillac Escalade SUV in true Indian fashion people we making funny poses standing next to the car. Imported from Dubai it was a really massive vehicle with tires the size of a small dish antenna.

Our first stop inside the arena was at the Harley Davidson stand. It had a single Motorcycle on display but that was more than enough to pull in the crowds. The Motorcycle was long and had an imposing presence, what struck me the most was that the motorcycle had a CD player and two large speakers built in, it struck me that Motorcycle In America were miles ahead of anything that we had.

The exhibition was dominated by small manufacturers showing off some heavy car accessories which in some cases were almost the cost of the car they had been put on. Right beside them were students from various regional engineering colleges displaying hand built sand buggies. Built on a small budget and with Maximum technical acumen these vehicles contrasted the accessories stand in almost perfect harmony giving us a perfect lesson “it’s not the size that matters but how you use it”.

In the center of the Arena was a spanking new Mercedes Benz complete with an “auto box” and tanned leather seats (no they were not taken from cows that spent a day in the sun!!) it was like looking at busty Brazilian woman on roller skates ( beauty on wheels ) a feast for the mind and body.

Ten minutes and a few maruti’s, Hero Honda’s, fiats and Mahindra’s later were at the end of the exhibition. I was euphorically disappointed because I had not got to see any super cars that I had always dreamt of looking at but was finally happy because I had finally got to visit a car exhibition.

Stop-start technology for automobiles

Introduction

India is slowly emerging the “next big thing” on the global scenario. In its current form and direction of development it will soon emerge as one of the new global markets for the global sales and production. One of the biggest areas to grow in this sense is the car industry.

An increase in average salaries by well over 20-25% in the last fifteen years has created a situation where a car is no longer a luxury but a necessity. This has created a situation where the Metros alone to add around one lakh cars to the road system each annually. In terms of global production we are the 9^th largest car industry globally producing up to 2.3 million vehicles annually.

Poor and short term road planning during the development days of the country has resulted in a road system of just fewer than 50% of both highways and city roadways. We have been unable to cope with the phenomenal growth that has occurred resulting in traffic jams and massive congestions country wide. Along with around a lakh of cars we are also adding almost the same number of two wheelers to the road system creating a situation of complete chaos and disorder.

These traffic jams leave large carbon foot prints by means of massive amounts of exhaust fumes. The Suspend particulate matter (SPM) in the capital city of New Delhi is almost thrice of what it was ten years ago. It is a known fact that SPM of less than ten microns has become very common. Such kind of increase causes various problems like lowering the air quality and causing respiratory problems for humans and animals

Affecting factors

Pollution is the only contributor to congested roads. Along with poor planning and excessive vehicles, our driving tests are not through enough and effective in weeding out the drivers from those legalized to murder behind the wheel.

To fix or reduce such a problem we require long term solution which must involve careful planning and distribution by the government and private players. This long term solution generally involving the control of production vehicles and re designing of roads and may take more than fifty years to be planned and put into action.

For the current time the issue that are faced by the road makers and managers must be tackled with short term and quick solutions. One of the fastest and most effective ways to reduce pollution from mobile and immobile vehicles is to cut down tailpipe emissions. The most obvious solutions to these are vehicular developments like the Toyota Prius which is a hybrid car employing a small petrol engine and Lithium Ion battery electric motor, alternative fuel vehicles like the Tesla and the Chevrolet Volt which use electricity.

Employing a more efficient design for the vehicle so that it can make use of aero dynamics to overcome what has been lost in horsepower. The solution seemingly obvious has one major draw back that is it costs too much. Each of the above mentioned vehicles sell for nothing less than $20,000 which when brought to a country like ours will turn out be way more than the average man can afford.

Stop-start technology

In such a situation a change in the systems we use is much cheaper and more effective. The stop-start system is one such technology. In its most basic form it controls the ignition of the engine after a specified time period. This is useful in long traffic stops where the engine consumes huge amounts of fuel without moving the car.

The generic term for this type of vehicle is known as a Mild Hybrid or in India as a Micro hybrid. In a Hybrid vehicle the car comes with two separate engines one electric and one petrol/diesel powered. The electric motor is used to run the car for most of the time while the fuel powered engine serves to act as a backup or generator for the electric.

In a mild hybrid the vehicle is classified and put into the category of a regular internal combustion model. The electric motor simply acts as an assist but cannot propel the engine on its own. When the vehicle is moving at a constant speed, or has stopped for a long period (generally kept to be over thirty seconds) the electric engine steps in and runs the car. Nowadays it also makes use of regenerative braking whereby when the brakes are applied the energy from the process of braking is converted into electricity and stored in a battery.

This kind of system though not fully efficient is very effective because it gives a saving of around 10-15%. Such vehicles also cost less than conventional hybrids because they are cheaper to produce and maintain. It is not one single system that works but rather a combination of smaller system, which in the larger picture allows for a good fuel saving. The vehicle basically has an economy mode. In this mode all the various smaller components work at their highest efficiency. The electric motor is anywhere between 30-40 volts and helps in running other electric components like the lights stereo and AC.

History

One of the first vehicles to employ this kind of technology was the Volkswagen polo in 1984. This was a system in its most basic form and did not do much to improve the car’s running efficiency. Deemed to be too expensive for its time it was not very successful. The entire system came to play in the year 2006 when Citroen introduced the ISG (integrated starter generator) technology into its cars the Citroen C1 and C2. This form of system basically combined the starter and alternator into unit making it more compact and efficient.

Latest Development

Japanese auto maker Mazda one of the latest entrants into this field has introduced a system in collaboration with Bosch of Germany. It employs a combination piston and clutch positioning for maximum efficiency. This system known as SISS (Smart idle stop system) or I-stop in foreign models has proved in testing conditions that it will save up to 15% of fuel for the car.

In India Mahindra has introduced this system on its Scorpio Model calling it the “M-Eagle system” it works along the similar lines of the micro hybrid system.

Drawbacks

Such a system is not without its drawbacks. Emerging at the top of the list is the fact that though it costs lesser than a regular hybrid or alternate fuel cell car it still cots more than the regular model of the car that it has been placed on.

With the current cost of petrol and diesel worldwide, the actual saving on the vehicle may turn out to be quite small. The extra weight of the hybrid train generally increases the drag coefficient of the vehicle.

For the future

In the larger picture this system will become effective if it is applied to a larger number of vehicles like buses, autos which are notoriously fuel inefficient but need to exist because they are basic forms of public transportation. The existing models can be fitted with such systems, which are available independently, if the fitting is subsidized by the government. A little bit of effort from everyone will take the nations car using population a long way towards greener, cleaner and safer roads.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Start-stop_system

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/09/mazda-introduces-clever-start-stop-system-with-direct-injection/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mild_hybrid

http://alternativefuels.about.com/od/glossary/g/mildhybrid.htm

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/hybrid-technology/mild-hybrid.htm

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1254854/Ferrari-goes-green-Italian-car-builders-unveil-eco-friendly-electric-hybrid.html

Return of the silver(was red) baron

September the eighth 2006 was a monumental day in the history of the sport of formula one racing. Seven time world champion and legend of the sport had just won the “LXXVII Gran Premio Vodafone d'Italia” or more commonly the 2006 grandprix of Italy. It was not his victory that took significance that day, this was Michael Schumacher winning and scoring podiums had become almost synonymous with his name, it was the fact that he had announced his retirement from active open wheel racing a job he had been doing for the last fifteen years.

When he left the sport finally in October 2006 many hailed him as the greatest driver that sport had ever seen. In his fifteen years in the sport he turned the F1 paddock into his personal play ground. His methods, uncanny and sometimes unethical also, set new standards and new levels of achievement that the sport had never seen before.

He became the face of the sport a face that could represent the sport be its public image, it was face that was meant to drive the crowds wild with supreme driving skills, a face that could handle the press and put them in their place when required this was a job “schumi” did with complete ease.

His retirement posed many awkward questions. As it turned out the 2007 season was know as the post Schumacher season or rather the beginning of the post Schumacher era. This era saw three new deserving world champions each in their form. The last of which was the 2009 championship which was in many ways a redefining moment in the sport it brought about the resurgence of one person Ross Brawn.

He was one of the men behind Schumacher’s success in his years at the Ferrari team. Ross Brawn was what we could call a ‘Swaroski crystals” of the sport his supreme engineering acumen and skill for race planning made him one of the most sought after technical personnel in the sport.

Ross Brawn had been made the team principal of the bleakly successful but well funded Honda racing team in 2008. At the end of the 2008 season owing to the worldwide recession Honda decide to pull the plug on its racing team and all racing activities. This left the Honda team in a quandary because it had worked for most of 2008 on developing the 2009 car which it believed was truly race winning.

Ross brawn and technical director Nick Fry bought out the team and named it the Brawn GP. It turned out to be one of the most successful teams in the sport winning both the driver and constructors titles in its debut year.

It was this one event that the public see as the reason for Schumacher to return the place he made his personal playground for so many years His decisions changed everything for me," Schumacher once said. "Ross is a very clever man who can examine a situation and give us a plan to win. Not everybody has that gift. He is the best in Formula One." said Schumacher to the U.K based telegraph newspaper.

He will make his return in a Mercedes powered race car. His return is a monumental phase in the history of the sport. He joins a long line of drivers which includes the likes of people like Niki Lauda , Alan Prost and Nigell Mansell who retired or were forced to do so but managed to return and were extremely victorious.

His return will signal a huge upturn for what is otherwise been a dropping spectator sport in the last three years though this would mean his two decade old fan following will now be a silver and black army rather than a red one.

The “new” set of regulations for the sport which have been introduced for sport in 2010 are almost similar to the ones that existed in 1991 the year Schumacher debuted. This will mean that in some ways this re entry is more like a second debut for Schumacher. This re entry has added a new line of thought that many people subscribe to, which is to say that perhaps Schumacher retired prematurely from the sport and this was his chance to redeem and re-invent himself.

The return of Schumacher will mean that there will be four world champions racing for the winning titles. Each of these champions has their own styles of racing unique to them this is reminiscent of the 1978 season where it was the case of seven champions racing together.

The new point system will no longer allow one driver to dominate then standings which will increase competition allowing for people like Sebastian Vettel who is an up and coming driver pretty much moving along the same lines of Schumacher during his younger days. Such a system will allow for a greater sense of competition and more for the viewers and spectators to see.

But to realize what his comeback the Bahrain Grandprix on 14^th of March 2010 is the starting point for what can only be billed as the re invention of the sport called Formula one .

An Insight into the Chennai MRTS

Introduction

Suburban railways are a vital part of any cityscape. They span over the ground and under it linking vital parts and reducing travelling times from multiple hours to mere minutes.

There is evidence to suggest that such a system has been successful we can clearly see examples in Singapore, America as well as many of the major European countries. The rail networks are massive very well connected and span over countries linking major cites and towns.

The Chennai MRTS is a part of the new “face” of Chennai city. Conceived as a part of the future of rapid public transport it was built under the belief that it would help ease congestion off the city’s chocking and clogged roads.

History and humble beginning

The project was taken up in the mid 1980’s to allow suburban rail connectivity to central and southern Chennai which until that time had only road networks. Wrapped in a trail of red tape the project was planned inn 1985 with construction starting in 1991.

Apart from the normal project setbacks and delays, the final stretch between Thiruvanmiyur and Velacherry suffered from poor soil conditions requiring a lot change in design adding to the budget and causing further delays.

The first phase of the metro line was completed in the year 1995. Operated by the southern railways the first phase saw the linking between the beach stations to the Thirumailai in Myalpore.

The second phase was conceived and completed in a period of ten years and linked the southern part of the city. This line extended from Myalpore to the Velacherry. The park town railway station is directly opposite the central station. This ensures maximum connectivity for passengers travelling in all directions.

The line

“The section of the line encompassing the first three Stations—Beach, Fort and Park Town, is at grade; after Park Town it begins climbing. All the Stations after Park Town—Chintadripet, Chepauk, Tiruvallikeni, Lighthouse and Thirumailai are elevated. The Line from Park Town to Thirumailai follows the course of the Buckingham Canal, which runs parallel to the Coromandel Coast”. The total length of entire MRTS envisaged was 59.38 km, a circular route from Chennai Beach to Ennore/Tiruvottiyur (industrial zones north of Chennai)

Planning and operation

The general system by which the MRTS was planned in term of operation is very efficient and easy to use. There are around 20 stations covering the length of the area.

The stations are large and broad in most probability modeled along the Europe metros (which cater to much larger audiences and more number of commuters on daily basis) a general view of any station reveals that there are allotted spaces for parking and shops.

Tickets

The tickets prices range from five to ten rupees as per the destination. Seasonal passes ranging from one month to a year also exist. There is a ticket counter at every station. At the Thirumailai station there is Indian railways counter where reservations and cancellations can be made for national and state traversing trains.

Powering the trains

The trains run on electric power and are very eco friendly. Each trains runs around six to eight cars ferrying around 200-400 passengers per journey at the present time there is no facility for the vehicle to turn around they are run with two main units faced in opposite directions. Two road under-bridges, one road over-bridge (six lane) and four minor bridges, for water flow, are to be constructed in the surface portion of the alignment. Provision has also been made for an EMU maintenance depot at Velacherry.

Ladies train and police patrolling

The service runs a ladies special train thrice a day. These special trains have security personnel to ensure that only ladies board the train and that there are no unwanted incidents. There is regular patrolling on all stations to ensure that there anti social elements are not allowed to board the trains and cause a nuisance.

Total completion of project and current realties

As per the plans and work carried out by the authorities the stations by 2008 should have been one of a world class standard providing high quality service to the commuters and public alike, but the reality that awaits us when we visit the stations and facilities is hard hitting an saddening.

Lack of commuters

Citing the lack of patronage as one the biggest and almost only factor for a host of issues and plaguing problems the Southern railways have released information regarding the patronage and usage rate for the year 2008-2009 the most used the station is Velacherry which stands at 14,731 people and the least used is the Indira Nagar station which stands at a low 2359 people a day.

Incomplete construction

Most of the stations are huge and majestic in size but are almost deserted all the time. The facilities barley exists most of the public toilets are locked or in a damaged condition. Very surprisingly the escalators and lifts in the station are fully functional and in complete running order unfortunately this is the most that seems to be working order.

The roof and walls of the Indira Nagar station are still incomplete three years after the opening. The plaster on the walls is crumbling and faded. The entries to the Beach and Chepauk station are always covered in garbage or filth and have their entry paths over open drains.

Parking for the Daily commuter

As is common with the metros all over the world many people who use the MRTS on a daily basis work in the heart of the city and live on the outskirts or in heavy suburban areas which are at least 15 to 20 kilometers from their area of work. They bring their vehicles and leave them at the station and commute back and forth. Such a facility only exists at the Myalpore station it runs on a full fledged basis complete with parking tickets and monthly tokens.

Most of the other stations have either a space at the back or nothing at all. These spaces have no form of security or barriers of any kind further these parking lots are far away from any of the other public facilities like bus stops and auto stands. One rather odd but seemingly significant reason is that at the stations, apart from the Myalpore, only train tickets can be purchased. Allowing multiple counters to exist together can speed up transportation and allow for more number of people to visit the stations.

Many of the lines run along the inner roads and along the Buckingham canal which are not main roads as such, thus creating a situation where stations are located at odd places or off the main roads. Because a lot of the land was cleared up many of the people who were relocated or evicted from the land have returned and began to live in what can be described as slum level dwellings with little or no facilities. These slum dwellers and their hutments are a sore sight on what is actually a nice train ride.

Ticket collection and the ticket collector

The ticket collectors appear on a random basis. Visiting the blog of a regular commuter he recalls his observations he made while travelling on the trains

Ticket collectors boarded the train at Myalpore station

Ticket collector was seen not wearing uniform and not even the badge. (I have seen one friendly ticket collector at Velacherry Railway station in white uniform with the badge containing the name.)

Harsh language towards commuters looks at everyone as a suspect. Truly, this ticket collector behaved like a super cop.

Overall picture

Taking a quote of divisional railway manager, Southern Railway, S.K.Kulshrestha from an article in the Hindu newspaper “he said existing infrastructure was being poorly utilised. “The infrastructure in place can take more trains and passengers but there is adequate utilisation only during rush hour. Less than 50 per cent of the seats are filled during other hours.”

He further stated that after investing two-thirds of the project cost into MRTS, it was up to the State government to direct the Chennai Corporation and local authorities to provide better approach roads.

“Feeder services are also essential and it is unfortunate that the Metropolitan Transport Corporation withdrew its services from the Chintadripet station because of poor usage within a short duration. The programme has to be sustained for a period and has to be better publicised so that the public would start using them,” he said.

Conclusion

To conclude we quote an avid chennaite and daily commuter on the MRTS from his blog “The next phase of the MRTS linking Velachery to St. Thomas Mount on the city’s main suburban Beach - Tambaram line, will be even more important as it provides an important interchange with the suburban rail network.

While there are talks about Phase IV and V for MRTS, what with a Metro Rail in the pipeline, one can only hope that at least Phase III is completed in time as planned. A more pressing requirement is for better looking and cleaner coaches for MRTS trains even if they cannot provide Delhi / Kolkata metro style coaches.

The current trains are an abomination to say the least. The next phase of the MRTS linking Velachery to St. Thomas Mount on the city’s main suburban Beach - Tambaram line, will be even more important as it provides an important interchange with the suburban rail network.

While there are talks about Phase IV and V for MRTS, what with a Metro Rail in the pipeline, one can only hope that at least Phase III is completed in time as planned. In a strange connection maybe the arrival of the Tata Nano will herald the age of the MRTS.

Sources

http://www.sln.in/Chennaispot/?p=279

http://citychennai.wordpress.com/2008/02/05/beware-of-ticket-collectors-chennai-mrts/

http://www.thehindu.com/2009/11/15/stories/2009111559720300.htm

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=625460&page=6

http://citychennai.wordpress.com/category/mrts/

http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/16/stories/2004031611560300.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_Rapid_Transit_System_(Chennai)

Living in chennai...its not that bad...

Feature story page 1of 3

“With arms wide open under the sunlight Welcome to this place”

B.Kondal Rao a factory worker in Ambattur came to Chennai around 40 years ago from his hometown of Vijayanagram in the state of Andhra Pradesh. He goes home at least once in four months keeping in touch with his roots, yet He has seen this city grown and change over the last forty years of his relationship with it.

The city of madras patnam the original name of Chennai given by the British is one that has always been deep rooted in culture and tradition. The existence of the arts and basic ways has been an integral part of the cities character and image this is perhaps best explained by the seeing the existence of a temple, dance school and corporate business office in a single row on the same road. The concept of modern way with the traditional lifestyle has been seamlessly absorbed by the people. The fast paced lifestyle that has been created by the modern “work and live” lifestyle very much exists in the city yet we see people attending Caranatic and dance musical recitals every time they take place at places like the music academy and the Naradgan Sabaha. Such institutions have become an integral part of the cities way of life.

“There is very deep rooted existence of a traditional and conservative culture in the city” feels Varun an employee of Accenture who has come from Delhi. He feels that pace of life is relaxed here and that there is a great respect for values and traditions, thanks to such a type of existence there is lot of brotherhood and high respect for family values present here.

The unhurried pace and relaxed ambience of the city is such that if you lose your way, you can be sure someone will be kind enough to take you to the place where you want to go or give you detailed instructions on how to get there. “The people here are very helpful and nice you get homely feeling in the city” feels Jyotirup Chatterjee an IT company employee from Bengal .He has also lived in Delhi and feels that in comparison to the capital ,Chennai is more easy going and much more conservative.

The city has opened its arms to many communities that have come here and become very successful .The Jains, Gujaratis, Malayalees, Muslims, and Kannadigas, live peacefully among the local population. “There is good existence of family values and friendship ties among all the communities” says Mohamed Rafiq Bhat a Kashmiri he is the owner of a carpet store in Spencer plaza.

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Being a vast city the existence of public transport is one that is very necessary. Along with Autos and buses Chennai also offers the MRTS or the metro rail transport system. It is a boon in such a city where almost one lakh vehicles are added to the road system every year. Travel time by using such a system is almost cut to less than half of what it actually takes. “I have been using the railway system for almost a year now it allows us to reach our destinations much quicker and for a lesser price” says Santosh an employee of Satyam who hails from Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh but works here in Chennai. But a city of such size is not without its problems Water and humidity are two major issues here in two years I have very major hair loss due to the hard water here” said an employee at Spencer plaza who wished to remain anonymous. When we work or spend time at home we are in an air-conditioned environment, but when we have to be outside or travel the heat takes a toll on us say Rafiq.

Moving closer to home we see many people who have come from the interiors of the state to work or study here. They feel that even though Chennai is in Tamil Nadu and it’s the capital retaining their old traditions is little difficult and they have become a part of the Chennai lifestyle. “Retaining some of our home traditions like our clothing styles is very hard to follow here so we have given in to modern classical culture that exists here” says Abdul an IT employee who comes from Thanjavur.

The cost of living in Chennai is relatively cheaper in comparison to other metros but for those who come from smaller towns and cities the initial days always seem to spiral out of control when it comes to money “food is my largest expense, for the same amount that I would spend on one meal, back in my university town I would be able to use the same amount of money for at least two days to feed myself”. Says Sheik Mohd Azmal who is studying in Manipal he is currently on a one month Internship with Mudra communications.

Language has always been a barrier here in the state for the many masses that used to come in interaction with locals was always an issue. This is not the case any longer as most of the people now speak the national language as well as English. All the signs and notices are now in English as well as Tamil.

Religion has a very major role here, it is pride and as well as many feel that its their duty to display their religious sentimentalities, but all religions have co existed here for many years very peacefully right from the kapaleewshwar temple in mylapore to the 1000 lights mosque all the way to the santhome church Chennai has stood by a secular way of existence. “The people of this city of all religions live next to each other like brothers in a very secular way” says Mansor Ali Khan a security guard at the Ticel bio park in Taramani.

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The cusine here is one that is reflects the modern age with the classic once again. Along side the traditional idiilis and dosas we get a world class variety of foods. Many of the eateries and hotels have been here for well over half a decade and have seen many generations come and go yet they have retained their classical image. Most feel that the food has a mixed taste of spicy as well as sweet.

It is this kind of unique mélange that has made and given Chennai it’s unique and special image and made it the queen of the south. With arms wide open its has for years welcomed settlers giving them a chance to make it big and achieve success

Night Patrol with the police

Its ten thirty on a Saturday night, most of the city is unwinding after a long week of being busy. Some may choose to go out and spend a few hours at one of the cities many clubs, restaurants and pubs; others may choose to spend the few hours at a friend’s house to have a good time and enjoy the weekend.

But for sub inspector P.Hariharan, head constable P.Sampath Kumar and constable A Manikam the night has just begun. They are members of the night patrol squad from the J2 Adyar police station. Their job for the night- to prevent crime and ensure that there is law on the streets. The comb the streets throughout the night ensuring that there is peace and order.

There is a squad car from every police station patrolling the areas under its jurisdiction. Under this police station are the areas of Gandhinagar, Lattice bridge road, Sardar Patel road, Indira Nagar and Kasturibai Nagar.

The squad car has an order of priority in terms of work. “We first head out at about ten thirty to ensure that the wine shops in the area have been closed” says constable Sampath “they have a time restriction of ten P.M are the ones that attract the most amount of trouble”.

After some basic paper work me and Soumava climb into the patrol car at ten forty five to begin our rounds. Our first destination is Kanagi Nagar, a slum, located on the Cooum River, which incidentally is the maximum jurisdiction of the police station.

“There are around 1000 people living in the slum, this along with another slum called Maligaipu Nagar located nearby are volatile areas. “ we need to keep a constant check on them and ensure that there is no trouble” says SI Hariharan. Sampath and Manikam further add to this by saying that generally crimes are not reported from these areas because of the fear of retribution from the local slumlords, what insight we have made into these places is through constant investigations and regular visits.

The night patrolling works on the Patta system. When the squad car visits an area it signs in a register stating that it has visited the area. This includes ATM’s, banks, religious institutions as well as any residence or home that has private security.

Since this is a rather posh area the chances of murder, drug abuse and rape cases are very less. “We generally receive calls about domestic disturbances and petty theft. Vehicle crimes are also low here because of the motorcycle patrols which are able to go into smaller areas”.

The real work begins at midnight; this is the curfew for all shops and restaurants to down shutters. In the next one hour we travel to all the major commercial establishments clearing crowds and shutting shops. The trend of late night eating which has picked up in the last few years has ensured that Khakhi clad men have their hands full.

Being a Saturday night we are acquainted with drunks, junkies and the random strangers all sauntering home after a night of heavy drinking and merry making.

Located near the police station is a theater which is emptying itself after the late night movie. The squad parks itself in the middle of the road and ensures the smooth flow of people leaving the theater.

While this is going on there is a radio in the squad car which is constantly chattering with activity and communication. Almost all parts of the city are in constant touch with each other. We are able to catch chatter of the chief minister’s convoy heading through Gopalpuram, minute by minute in addition to this there is constant motivation and advice for all areas from range officers telling squad cars to be alert and ensure that trouble is mitigated. “The wireless radios, squad cars and bike brigades have been a great boon to us.

“When I began patrolling around twenty five years ago we would do our rounds on cycles if there was an emergency we had to use the public telephones to contact the station, it was tedious, slow and in many cases dangerous. Nowadays the crime rates have dropped massively because we are able act swiftly and cover larger areas in lesser time” says Sampath Kumar.

Between one fifteen and three fifteen we make our way around various areas signing Patta books and visiting “important houses’. Some of the houses in this area are empty for much of the year many of the owners make requests the police station to come and check on them at least once in two days.

The full level alertness required for this job is only revealed when stop for a small break to stretch our legs. Standing near a four way junction we see a man riding away from a house. Samapath tells us that the man is a call center employee and that he works night shifts for odd days of the week and day shifts on even days of the week. “One part of this job is to be aware and alert. Within just a month of patrolling areas we are able to tell identify which vehicle belongs to which house and who goes where and comes back at what time” says Sampath.

After stopping what looks like a motorcycle theft in progress we return to the station to recharge the walkie talkies when a call comes over the radio of a domestic disturbance outside a popular commercial establishment in Indira Nagar. It turns out to be a drunk and deranged man throwing stones on the road. The police “deal” with man and drive him away. Speaking to manager of the establishment he says that he is very grateful to the police and that they are doing an excellent job in keeping the streets safe and sound. After being treated to some free ice cream we resume duty and move towards finishing our rounds. By around three forty five most of the areas have settled down and all is quiet.

The patrolling runs from ten thirty at night to seven in the morning. The final phase begins at five am; this is known as the “walkers” phase where the squad moves to parks and popular walking spots to ensure that people taking morning walks are not disturbed or harassed.

Deciding that we have seen enough we request the cops to drop us back to the station. For us it has been an adventurous night where we have seen the cities uniformed guardians performing their duty but for them it is their job just another night and just another patrol in the quest to ensure our saftey