Excerpts from "The Hindu" of 29.6.2008
"Kakinada: The Kakinada-Pithapuram railway line project is most likely to be given the final clearance next year due to the constant efforts of East Godavari District and Cocanada Town Passengers’ Association and Kakinada MP M.M Pallam Raju’s regular follow-up of the proposal with the Ministry of Railways.
Association founder SS Krishnaji, now in his 80s, had first proposed the laying of a double line from Kakinada to Pithapuram in the late 1950s but it never got adequate allocations in the Railway Budget despite the constant pressure mounted by passengers and other people’s organisations.
The project is currently estimated to cost in excess of Rs 100 crores whereas a meagre grant of Rs 10 crores was made in the 2001-02 Railway budget. An additional Rs 5 crores was reportedly earmarked last year. The ball now lies in the court of the Committee on Infrastructure of Planning Commission to which all railway projects costing above Rs 50 crore need to be referred to.
The proposed line measures 24 km long and it needs some 180 acres of land to be acquired by the State Government and handed over to the South Central Railway. It was found to be technically feasible and viable long ago but it never made to the priority list of the Railway Board. Efforts of the then Kakinada MP UV Krishnam Raju failed to realize the dream due to procedural hurdles.
Kakinada MP Pallam Raju is confident that the project would be cleared this year itself and it will take shape thereafter. Speaking to the media recently, he said an announcement would be made in this regard very soon. He also asserted that other railway projects in the district were being considered with a positive bent of mind. His statement enlivened hopes that Kakinada would find its place on the main line.
A railway line that links Annavaram to the Kakinada port through the Kakinada Special Economic Zone is another proposal which is expected to enhance the connectivity in this fast-developing region where the prospect of huge investments are bright."
Please my earlier post of 10th April 2008 on this subject. I thank our MOS and Kakinada MP Sri Pallam Raju for his optimism and announcement. Let us hope for the best and in the meantime keep our fingers crossed.
...ponder
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Fellow Travellers of India
Communism is extinct except for a few pockets and such pockets are in India too. Russia, the mother of red revolution, has long given up communism; and China, the next nurturer, has also given it up except in name. For our comrades, who are now basking in their blackmailing clout disproportionate to their strength or popularity, the game is to prolong their existence even while remaining on ventilator. But, the pity is that they are the ventilator to the present dispsnsation. They bully, threaten and cajole small parties like DMK, RJD, LJP, NCP, SP, etc who in turn, turn the screws on Congress.
Now the Communists whose mouth foams at communalism, have given away their game in warning a wavering SP about losing muslim votes if they support the nuclear deal. Communists have themselves lost the muslim vote in WB after Singur.
It is ironic that muslims should be perceived to prefer 'kafir' communists as their saviours. In TN this role is played by Atheist DMK.
I expect Congress and BJP to show maturity and recognise that the days of single pary rule are really over and unshakle themselsves from the tyranny of motley groups and rather work together in carrying forward those issues which they commonly believe in.
Such a statesmanship on the part of these two major players will be in the intrests of our country and enhance its prestige and clout internally and on international fora. For a party that swears by Bharata Mata, BJP should set aside partisan thinking and publicly declare yhat it will not bring a no confidence motion if a nuke deal is gone through.
Giving boot to caste/religious groups along with the reds will be an extra bonus.
...ponder
Now the Communists whose mouth foams at communalism, have given away their game in warning a wavering SP about losing muslim votes if they support the nuclear deal. Communists have themselves lost the muslim vote in WB after Singur.
It is ironic that muslims should be perceived to prefer 'kafir' communists as their saviours. In TN this role is played by Atheist DMK.
I expect Congress and BJP to show maturity and recognise that the days of single pary rule are really over and unshakle themselsves from the tyranny of motley groups and rather work together in carrying forward those issues which they commonly believe in.
Such a statesmanship on the part of these two major players will be in the intrests of our country and enhance its prestige and clout internally and on international fora. For a party that swears by Bharata Mata, BJP should set aside partisan thinking and publicly declare yhat it will not bring a no confidence motion if a nuke deal is gone through.
Giving boot to caste/religious groups along with the reds will be an extra bonus.
...ponder
Good bye Sam Bahadur
When I think of Sam Bahadur, I cannot but recall the blood curdling broadcast he made to the Pakistan Army in the then East Pakistan to surrender or else... His exhortion was such it broke the morale of a mighty army and made it surrender meekly. I also recall the pride that was instilled while watching the POW trains passing through Bengal and Bihar. The way he used to build up the valour and morale of our troops by visiting them in trenches, shown courtesy Films Division, used to bring goose-pimples all over.
He had a riveting yet elegant personality. His humour, as reported in press, was spontaneous and gentlemanly. His adaucity legendary. His rapport with entire arny rank and file in general and the Gorkhas in particular astounding.
That none of importance from the Government or Army cared to attend his funeral may not be accidental. The accolodes he received for the rout of the Pakistani army did not go down well with Congress dispensation then and may be even now. Also the trend is to project only those who belong to 'The Family'.
But mere presence or absence of personalities at his funeral will make no difference to his name and fame. He was a man of action and did not ride on the connections one had with those in power unlike some other generals.
Good bye Sam Bahaadur! You were both fearless and a Gorkha in his true spirit thus achieving a standard set by yourself. Jai Hind
...ponder
He had a riveting yet elegant personality. His humour, as reported in press, was spontaneous and gentlemanly. His adaucity legendary. His rapport with entire arny rank and file in general and the Gorkhas in particular astounding.
That none of importance from the Government or Army cared to attend his funeral may not be accidental. The accolodes he received for the rout of the Pakistani army did not go down well with Congress dispensation then and may be even now. Also the trend is to project only those who belong to 'The Family'.
But mere presence or absence of personalities at his funeral will make no difference to his name and fame. He was a man of action and did not ride on the connections one had with those in power unlike some other generals.
Good bye Sam Bahaadur! You were both fearless and a Gorkha in his true spirit thus achieving a standard set by yourself. Jai Hind
...ponder
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