Road sense has gone to the winds.WHY THIS KOLAVERI( KILLER RAGE)?

The way this generation drives, my gosh. They themselves won't survive
& allow others to survive. Why the urgency? Why this speed? What Big
and important work the college boys or younger generation are they
required to carry out to drive at this speed with no care for the
pedestrians. Everyone wants to go first.THEY HAVE FORGOTTEN "LIVE & LET
LIVE".

We should learn a lesson from the Britishers. We have learnt all the wrong
things from Britishers likeviz."divide & rule", but the courtesy of theirs we
have not learnt. The vehicle drivers give first preference to pedestrians in
U.K.which we should learn from them. Here people have not left the
footpaths too, to ordinary pedestrians. People drive like heroes of films.
The 2 wheelers swerving from right to left to right and caring two hoods
for the basic traffic rules. They ride on footpaths to beat the signal. These
people are to be fined to make them disciplined. Driving on Wrong side
driving at full speed. When you least expect a vehicle from the other side,
as it is one way, the 2 wheeler will zoom past you at a hair's breadth.
Number of persons go without headlights in the night. No traffic police to
fine them. No one to question them as they will thrash you. Where is the
law and order. The autorickshaw drivers add to the traffic chaos. They will
turn and swerve through the traffic at their will & pleasure. They will
suddenly take a U-turn and be in front of you when you are least
expecting it. They are the most rash drivers you can see anywhere. This
generation has no respect or considerations for elders walking on the
road. A very impatient generation.
The honking on Indian roads. Go to Bangkok and some other countries.
There the drivers don't honk. If there is a path ahead of the driver. He will
move. Why honk. Do you want the vehicle in front of you to jump other
vehicles and go. Come on man , have some brain and sense. Honking
adds to noise pollution and iriritates the other drivers, who loses his calm
& temper.
I stay in Bangalore and what I have mentioned applies to other cities in
India too. Other cities are no better.The traffic culture is to be inculcated in
us. God help the elders. ladies, children & senior citizens who walk or
cross the streets day in and day out. Some solution has to be found for
this Kolaveriiiiiiiiii.
Let's develop a better India to live in. It is our country. Let's make our
country a worthy country on the world map. Jaago saathiyo, Jaago. Desh
ka naam roshan karne ke liye videsh jaana jaroori nahi hain. Yahin rahkar
Aapne aur aapne saathiyon ke zindagi behatar banao.
S.V.Raghavan

In India Metro Railways is gaining ground what with number of cities going in for Metro rail. viz. Delhi
Metro Railways Corporation ( DMRC) going in full swing and expanding their network till Gurgaon ,
Faridabad etc. Though Kolkata Metro Rail was started long back but it has not expanded much
further.Now Bangalore Metro Rail first phase work is in progress and its first stretch called from
Baiyyappanahalli to M.G.Road was commissioned in October 2011 which is about 7 kms. The first
phase is expected to be completed by 2014 or 2015 which has 7 underground stations and rest are
elevated.Phase 2 of Bangalore Metro is sanctioned and we will see further expansion in the next 10
years.
Metro Rail In Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Jaipur , Ahmedabad are also coming up. Kochi is in the
initial stages and survey for Lucknow has also taken place.
It may be argued whether Metro Rail is required with the huge cost of infrastructure put into it and
disturbing the normal public life for years during the work is in progress. It also results in lot of
acquisitions of land for construction, demolition of buildings, cutting of trees and destroying the
ecology, litigations with the common man etc. But in the long run this will be beneficial to mankind,
since what with the huge volume of traffic on the roads, accidents etc, with practically no space to
walk, no fresh air to breathe the option of Metro rail is welcome indeed. Road rage also adds to the
difficulty of the common pedestrian with 2 wheelers running on footpaths and no value for life. Metro
rail will provide a tension/stress free, pollution free comfortable journey in air conditioned comfort to
your work place and travelling and making friends with people, reaching in quick time without those
stop
signals
and
traffic
jams
etc.
There is another technical issue which is debatable. The Indian Railways has adopted the 25 kV
A.C., 50 c/s overhead system of Electrification which technology was followed by SNCF, France and
number of countries. In some places in Mumbai , earlier in Kolkata & chennai, DC traction was
prevalent. Now the Indian Railways has completely switched over to 25 kV A.C. , mostly broad gauge
( 1676 mm- a legacy of the British).
However in Metro Railway both A.C and DC systems of Traction are being used now. DMRC is using
the Indian Railways 25 kV A.C system whereas Bangalore Metro Rail is using DC 3rd rail traction
system alongwith Kolkata & Hyderabad Metro. Chennai is using Overhead system. Though this is
debatable. 3rd rail does not require overhead wires and electrical clearances required for overhead
wires have to be kept in mind while electrifying , especially in underground tunnels. Whereas the
biggest problem with 3rd rail is Stray current.Otherwise it is very comfortable easy to maintain etc.
What is stray current. Normally the return current from the Rolling stock is supposed to return through
the running rails completely. But it is not the case. In D.C. system the return current does not follow
the intended path unless it is forced too by providing in clamping of the rails using rubber pads
etc.Normally current tries to take the least resistant path and hence the track plinths on which the rail
rests has to provide high resistance compared to the rails to force the return current though the rails.
This requires good insulation of the track plinth & rubber pads of fish plate joints.
The stray current can corrode utilities underground if allowed to take the unintended path.
Another issue which is debatable is whether one should go for broad gauge or standard gauge. Going
for standard gauge helps as rolling stock over the world are manufactured for standard gauges,

though the lesser gauge width reduces the width of the train and carrying capacity of passengers.
Broad gauge is better in this context. Each one may have their own views. I have published my views
and initiated a small discussion. This is my first blog. I do not know whether I may good at it but it is
worth a try.
Posted by Raghavan S.V. at 01:56 No comments: