3vember 2007

Thanks: The Hindu
325 new MTC services from January

CHENNAI: Transport Minister K.N. Nehru on Monday said here that the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) would be introducing 325 new services by January first week. The existing services of MTC numbered 2,775, the Minister said.

He announced this at a public consultation organised by the MTC, in which hundreds of commuters and representatives of their associations participated. On the consultation process, Mr. Nehru said: “We value the people’s input in deciding on useful routes; this is why we decided to organise a meeting of this scale.” He said that the State Government had undertaken various studies to ascertain the number of routes and bus services a city like Chennai needed. Academics were consulted and extensive research was conducted for the purpose.

Transport Secretary Debendranath Sarangi said the meeting was also to obtain feedback on the new bus services and routes. He said the MTC had increased the fleet strength recently and also introduced luxury services. Plans are under way to add 500 buses soon.

Mayor M. Subramanian said that it was for the first time that such a large-scale consultation was being conducted by MTC. “The city is developing rapidly and there is need for modern transport facilities. The quality of the buses and related facilities are improving and becoming on a par with the developed nations,” he said.

MTC managing director M. Ramasubramanian, several councillors and ward members participated.

Thanks : The Hindu
Work on widening of Chowdiah Road begins
Bangalore: It is good news for motorists using the T. Chowdiah Road, popularly known as Sankey Road. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has commenced work on widening the road to a six-lane carriageway from the existing four-lane. Sankey Road is the main link to the northern parts of Bangalore apart from the NH-4 (Pune highway) and NH-7 (to Hyderabad).

Construction of three underpasses in a stretch of about 200 metres will form part of the first phase of the road widening work leading up to the Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli. The underpasses will facilitate a two-way movement of traffic on Cunningham Road. With the completion of the underpasses, vehicles from the Kumarakrupa Road moving towards High Grounds will have a free right turn and, similarly, vehicles moving from Bellary Road towards Kumarakrupa Road will have a free right turn. The offsite work on casting the concrete slabs for the underpasses has commenced.

All three underpasses are primarily aimed at ensuring a free flow of traffic which would have a direct effect at easing the traffic congestion along the Sankey Road stretch between the Windsor Manor underbridge and at the Cunningham Road-Sankey Road intersection. Estimated to cost about Rs 4.5 crore, the BBMP has acquired a strip of about five metres land on both sides of Sankey Road. The golf course will shrink by 2.5 metres to seven metres on the Sankey Road stretch and same will be the case with the Ministers’ quarters.

Commissioner of BBMP S. Subramanya told The Hindu here on Monday that the BBMP would work to a strict schedule to ensure a smooth flow of traffic up to the international airport.

“We will do our best to ensure a hassle-free movement of traffic,” he said. With the international airport set for inauguration in the last week of March, the BBMP has also set March 28 as the deadline for the completion of the road widening works between Ballabrooie and the Hebbal flyover (jurisdiction of the BBMP).

Thanks: The Hindu
Health centres in Salem to get more facilities
SALEM: Urban Health Posts (UHP) and maternity and child health centres in Salem city will be revamped shortly. Salem Corporation has planned to construct new buildings, renovate the existing structures and equip eight UHPs and nine health centres with modern medical facilities under a comprehensive scheme. The two major UHPs, Anna Hospital at Ammapet and MGR Hospital at Kitchipalayam, will be renovated at an estimated cost of Rs. 55 lakh under the first phase of the scheme.

Dilapidated buildings in the two hospitals will be demolished and new buildings will be constructed. Modern equipment will be provided to the two hospitals. “We have received government approval for these works and tenders have been called for,” health officials said.

“The maternity centre at Subramania Nagar will be demolished and a new building will be constructed in the first phase. Repair and maintenance works will be carried out at all other centres in the second phase. We are also replacing furniture, including cots, labour boards and chairs, at all UHPs and maternity centres with new ones. New weighing machines, emergency lamps and other equipment will be provided to all our health care delivery centres,” the officials added. The Corporation has also initiated the process to fill up vacancies in the health department.

Two doctors and 30 paramedical personnel will be appointed shortly. The Corporation has come up with the scheme following complaints from the public about poor conditions and service delivery at the health centres.