SCENIC BEACH ROAD...

...thats how an advertisement said, which I saw today on the East Coast Road. It said "own a house on the beautiful scenic beach road".

That might have been true earlier, but today till Kelambakkam you see very little of the scenic beach from the main road - ECR. I remember those days (around 10 years back), when right after Tiruvanmiyur, you get to see those lovely sea waters traversing with you the whole stretch up to Mahabalipuram. All I get to see today are hoardings, high-rise buildings.

I am not finding fault, everyone wants to have a slice of what ECR has to offer. Am just wondering, are we getting over-enthusiastic, and over-grandeur about everything and spoil the simple fun in our life here at Chennai. [Few more examples would be MRTS stations, flyovers, shopping malls]

Why do we do, what we do?

This post is not connected to the title of this post. Nor is the post bear any relevance to the state of my mind or the status of my philosophy in lie. Actually this is not a post at all.

In fact, this entry is merely to keep up with one of my "resolutions". I dont want to break my resolutions right on the second day itself, especially when Chakra thinks I will break the resolutions only after 2 months, and asks for a status update then.

So, this post stays.

(And, my darling wife, please note: Today morning on my way to the office, a Police Van carrying a bunch of overgrown policemen honked continuously behind me. So that, they can break the RED signal. As I decided not to interact on the road, I didn't give way. All the while they honked loudly using air horn well within city limits, and very near to a hospital. Despite that, i didnt complain to the nearby Traffic Police. I did not curse at the auto driver who came riding very fast in the wrong direction. I didn't even bother. And today those 21G bus drivers, whose fidelity and their vamsavali which is doubted by me, actually received a smile from me, even after they overtook me from the wrong side and didnt bother about the signal.

Note that DETERMINATION)

The year resolutions

Yeah, I know they are coming in a month late. But heck, who cares! I am a lazy guy, so lazy not to make resolutions at all. At least now, I am a bit surusuruppu and making some resolutions even when they come late.

Ok, now down to the list:
1. Almost no interactions with auto, bus, Govt vehicles and those coming on the wrong side in full speed, on the Chennai roads. I say "almost", because I intend going for six-sigma standard. By interactions, I mean, all those swearings, I give - "naayay, poramboku thayoli...kannu engada, seatku adila vachi iruukiya" so on and so forth.
2. Post something every day on my blog
3. Revamp my blog layout and the links (most of the people in the link have closed thier blogs or moved)...{yes, that much somberi!}
4. Cut down on my travelling distance to my workplace by atleast 60% (how I will accomplish later!)
5. Donate for www.schoolsforindia.org
6. Revive acquaintance circle and keep in touch atleast once a month
7. Visit relatives, friends atleast once a month
8. Spend at least 3 hours with my kids
9. Save enough to buy a new house next year
10. Walk total 25 km every week
ippothaikki avlothaan

Sai Baba and the Wannabe Baba...

No, no…am not talking about the fall of pagutharivu at the feet of aanmeegam. I just happened to notice these two billboards on Anna Salai. While traversing towards Teynampet from 1000 Lights on the Anna Flyover, somewhere when you cross American Consulate, look to your right. There are two billboards adjacent to each other.

 

One featuring a photo of a “Wannabe Baba” aka the 3-fingered salute of Rajnikanth in his movie Baba being imitated by a Baba look-alike. Right next to that is the billboard of Sri Satya Sai Baba.

Cycle Race - ICR on ECR- 19th Jan 2007

 

Attractive prize money!

Fundraiser for an ambitious schools project (6000 schools by 2010 in remote reaches of India)!!

(For more information on Schools for India, log on to: www.schoolsforindia.org)

(A further post by another blogger, Kiruba, on the rally and his impressions about the project and the man behind the project can be found at: http://www.kiruba.com/2007/01/icr-on-ecr-cycling-race-at-chennai.html )

 

 

Schools for India

 

Proudly Presents

 

ICR ON ECR

 

In Association with Cycling Federation of India

 

International Cycle Race on East Coast Road

 

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

 

 

Introduction:

 

• ICR on ECR is an international cycle race-cum-rally planned for the 19 January 2007. Cyclists of global repute and participants from across the country, professionals and amateurs alike, will be invited for the ICR on ECR. The event targets 2500-3000 cyclists who will cycle through a distance of 150 kms from VGP Golden Beach (Start point) to Pondicherry (finish point).

 

Start Point: VGP Golden Beach

Student Race Break Point: Muttukadu

Corporate Rally Break Point: Y point that splits to Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry

Amateur Race & International Cyclists Finish Point: Pondicherry

 

Primary Objectives – ICR on ECR:

 

The International Cycle Race-cum-rally on the East Coast Road is being organized by Schools for India, a non-profit charitable organization registered under the Indian Charitable Trust Act in December 2005. The ICR on ECR is being conducted by Schools for India to capture the attention of corporate bodies and individuals to participate in the commencement of the Pilot Project. (For more information on Schools for India, log on to: www.schoolsforindia.org)

 

Pilot Project: Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu, India

Area: 14.5 acres for the school

Facility Description: State of the art school building with latest building technologies with pre-fabricated building materials, with the following and not limited to features:

Perimeter fencing, playground, staff quarters, community facing facilities like dispensary, grocery shop, multi purpose shopping area, Modern kitchen, Information Technology lab, Science lab, library, music room, training halls, rest rooms, storage area, security and alarm systems, Community hall among many others.

 

Secondary Objectives – ICR on ECR:

 

(a)      The ICR on ECR is expected to act as an orientation to the society about Schools for India.

(b)     The ICR on ECR is planning to rope in students from various schools and colleges across the country to participate in the rally for education for the rural poor.

(c)      The ICR on ECR also plans to rope in corporate individuals to join the organizational framework of Schools for India as members.

(d)     The ICR on ECR also aims at diverting a portion of the proceeds of the cycle race and rally in to the pilot project.

 

 

Simplicity and Determination:

 

Schools for India has ideated the ICR on ECR for the commencement of its pilot project for two specific reasons:

(a)     Simplicity: The rural poor in India and cycles hold simplicity as a synonym.

(b)    Determination: The concept of a race-cum-rally tempts the determination of any participant as much as education tempts the future of India, especially in the rural segments of the country.

 

 

Pre-event School Student Rally:

Date: 12 January 2007, Friday

Venue: Rajaratinam Stadium, Mount Road, Chennai

 

-         Participation open to XI and XII standard students (Chennai only)

-         First 500 registrations only

-         Cycles will be provided to the participants

-         Prize Money: I Place: INR 20000

 II Place: INR 15000

III Place: INR 10000

-         Registration Fee: Rs.50 per student

-         Celebrity participation in flag off ceremony and prize distribution ceremony

-         Press participation and coverage

 

Prizes:

 

Professional Rally and Amateur Race:

Participant cyclists will be registered members of International, National and Regional cycling federations.

Registration by invitation only.

Prize Money: I place: USD $10000

                    Runner up prizes – 15 prizes @ USD $1000 each

 

 

Corporate Rally:

-         Participants will encompass corporate staff and sports persons.

-         First 500 registrations only

-         Cycles will be provided to the cyclists

 

First Registration Fee: INR 1000 per participant

Prize Money: I place: INR 2,00,000

                    II place: INR 1,00,000

 

Students Rally:

-         Participants will encompass students from various colleges from cities including Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkatta, Mumbai, Pune and specific cities across Tamil Nadu.

-         Cycles will be provided to all participants

-         First 1500 registrations only

-         One-way fare shall be provided to outstation candidates.

-         Registration Fee: INR 300 per participant

-         Prize Money: I place: INR 1,00,000

 II place: INR 75,000

10 Runner Up prizes – Rs.20000 each

Over 2500 students from various city colleges will make a human chain by being placed in the various stables lined up enroute to cheer the cause of education. The event is expected to attract maximum press attention owing to the magnificent scale of the same.

 

 

 

 

Saddam Hussein's Execution

Yes, I know Saddam Hussein was a dictator, and he was hanged as part of capital punishment for the mass murder crimes committed by him.

It is also apparent that USofA had an influencing role in the execution, if not directly, atleast indirectly. It is indeed incorrect.

But my point, why all this stupid arguments like “didn’t George Bush groom Saddam or for that matter, Bin Laden? Wasn’t it America that sponsored money for armed terrorism? So, why not Bush be hanged?”

I am not defending Bush or America. But merely questioning why all this pseudo-humanitarianism and that too at wrong place. Where were you guys when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was just like that hanged after a simple court martial? And why all this sudden love for Saddam? We all know he was worse than a “Chickungunya on a Piles patient.”

And another thing that beats me is, why so much perverse pleasure in seeing a man being hanged every 10 mins or so on a TV? Isn’t that too gross?

When you people love seeing a murder up and so close so many times like as if it was Nameetha’s kuthu-paattu, why so much fuss about the actual death of this person?

Movie Ticket Prices Slashed

Regarding the recent announcement from Govt of Tamilnadu that movie ticket prices slashed in Tamilnadu. I do not have any objection (as if my objection matters) to slashing the movie ticket prices…many movies aren’t worth the money anyway.

 

However, few points:

1. Recently, Govt of Tamilnadu gave entertainment tax concessions to Tamil Movie titles that were in pure Tamil. As far as my knowledge goes, whenever they used to announce entertainment tax cuts, the price of the movie ticket would fall. However, I didn’t see any movie halls actually slashing the price. So, what did the Govt aim to achieve with the tax cut?
2. When such a tax cut already exists, what is the necessity to slash the ticket prices?
3. All those extra collections during the tax cut, whose benefit was not passed on to the normal “visiladichan front bencher”, are going to be accounted for or what?
4. Where does the consumer figure in all this?
5. From a socio-economic point of view, where is the Govt trying to take the common man by providing free gas cylinder, free TV, less costlier movie tickets, rice at 2Rs/Kg, loan-waivers from co-operative banks, and such populist schemes? Doesn’t Karunanidhi want “below poverty liners” to come up at all?

Thukkada

• La Marina - New foodcourt opened in Chennai City Center. A welcome addition, and a good choice of cuisines.
• To buy tamil books in Chennai, I found a few shops - Higginbothams (Mount road), Vidloka (Mylapore Bheemasena Garden Road), Bharathi Puthagalayam (Bang opposite a lane leading from Anna Arivalayam's side entrance - near Eldams Road), Manimegalai Pathipagam (TNagar), Kannadasan pathipagam (TNagar), Landmark (Nungambakkam, Spencer Plaza and City Center), Odyssey, A book shop on South Usman Road (opp Chennai Silks)
• A decent 2 Bedroom flat for rent in Triplicane - supposedly center of Chennai - is available for well under Rs 7500, while at places like Velacherry, Thuraipakkam, Sholinganallur, Perungudi - some of the fag-ends of Chennai -, you get decent 2 Bedroom houses for minimum Rs 8000. (Those who argue in favour of these fag-ends, please visit areas like Triplicane,Mylapore to see stuffs like water-not-getting-logged, full voltage at all times, reachability, accessibility to many amenities, multiple facilities)
• Radhakrishnan Salai alone gets a facelift - all platforms are being re-laid again with newer type of pavement stones. (Just a year back the pavements were laid with high cost aesthetic stones)
• Chennai Police gets 100 NYPD style cars to be stopped at traffic intersections and cause further chaos
• A rough guesstimate of high-class luxury buses running on dilapidated Chennai roads - TCS-100, Infosys - 20, Satyam-19, CTS-70, Polaris - 20, Xansa-10, Wipro-40...key IT companies themselves contribute around 500 buses. Add another 500 or so of school/college bus fleet. Come on, guys! Have you heard of collaboration? Our Chennai roads cant handle this kind of heavy weight traffic. Try something innovative, and help ease burden on our roads.
• All the new roads being laid - like IT highway or bye-pass roads do not have provision at all for something called pavement or platform.
• So-called Spencer Plaza needs to be renamed ChickunGunya Plaza. Try coming out via Phase-2 gate, you will know what I mean
• Guindy Industrial Estate - all those IT Companies complaining of poor roads and infrastrucuture...have you ever heard of something called self-sufficiency and community sponsor development.
• Welcome news! CITU starting Workers Associations/Unions for IT employees in some of the Indian States. High time, one is needed. I imagined starting one 7 years back. Atleast at a level in one company. All the tall-talkers disappeared, when I tried to moot the idea through signature campaign. Such is IT industry courage.

DMDK, MDMK, ADMK and DMK

• Vijayakanth's DMDK garnered 3% of votes this local body elections. Amma says "what is so great in 3%? Even MDMK got so much votes."
• Amma says DMDK is as worthless as MDMK? VaiKo - Please note. Time to do a Thirumavalavan?
• Being in an alliance with a larger party doesnt necessarily mean advantage. DMDK stood alone and got 3%; while MDMK also got 3% only, even after aligning with a bigger party like ADMK. Was there any point in either the DPI or MDMK to side with larger parties?
• ADMK says DMK unleashed violence in local polls. DMK says didnt ADMK do it in 2001. The level of violence/abuse is not as sporadic as in 2001.
• And for you and me, we listen to both these statements as mute spectators completely impotent and incapable to do anything at all.
• "I wont vote then" attitude doesnt help too, because someone will cast the vote anyway.
• Democracy in Tamilnadu sucks

Random midnight channel surfing

(written on Friday but posted only today)

I happened to be awake yesterday night – Thursday night – without the pressure of having to wake up early on Next Day morning. No MCity – courtesy Local Body Polls!

I was curious to know what was running in the multiple channels at this point of time…interesting mix in  this random midnight channel surf

 

Vijay TV -- Pandit Guruprasad was explaining multiple doshas and the pariharams for the same…of course, he wasn’t covering “jaladosha”

Raj TV – a hip in tight close-up filled with all sweats; no it wasn’t midnight masala hot songs, but Teleshopping network’s “sauna belt” ad feature

A serial – yes a Mega serial right in the middle of night on Sun TV, and DD national giving them a company with another Mega Serial

A telugu/kannada dubbing movie with Saranraj as the perennial policeman – KTV

Jeyalalitha rebuking the entire Karunaidhi clan – Needless-to-say-where

FTV - A good coverage of a lingerie show (no pun intended)

Jeyyam Ravi expressing his “something, something”  for Trisha on Sun Music

Some real people issue was being discussed in Makkal TV (am pretty much impressed with quality of programs on this Channel…but that’s a difft post altogether)

Mohanlal, in a veshti, chasing a Mundu girl, while singing from his nose…that’s Kiran TV for you

While Chandrababugaaru trying to garner some glory on Teja News, someone trying to kill someone on Ushe TV, while in realit, actually killing us – the viewers

Abhishek bachan wooing Rani Mukherjee, while Susmita Sen looks on in one of those numerous pulp fictions from Hindi moviedom on Sahara One

While NDTV was sensationalizing a Gibbs’s Inquiry, CNN-IBN was busy sensationalizing cricketer Gibbs’s questioning, and the flash news on both channels were the same stuff in active and passive voices

And Headlines Today was provided a coverage of  Gibbs involvement being queried by Delphi Police. Not to be left behind was the Times Now

It was an old hindi movie on SAB T.V.

And POGO was busy showing for the nth time, the mth fall of some “chappai-mookku” chinky on Takeshi’s castle

On Raj Digital Plus, namma Super Thatha Rajinikanth was torturing his grand daughter Nayanthara, over a song sequence in the snow covered peaks, where only thing that wasn’t covered was Nayanthara’s hip and leg region…elsewhere she was wrapped in a sari – thankfully for her

A Julia Roberts classic on Sony PIX, and a Godman reading something from a some religious gospel on Daystar.

SS Music had switched on their regular English collection – repeat play. The GOD channel had a similar sounding choir.

Good old Donald Duck providing some laughter on Toon Disney, while a bald man was recommending “buy and hold” on Satyam shares

DD Sapthagiri had a rerun of a rerun of a rerun; closely followed by a Mallu feeding a gold fish on DD Malayalam

A herbal cure fellow was marketing a nothing-less-than-a-desi-viagra with Ajanta-Ellora cave painting backdrop on Tamizhan TV

And that banian mama was giving a discourse on Samskar channel; Aaj Tak had a reality dance show; it was good to see Shilpa Shetty after a long long time

I didn’t expect Shbha Mudgal’s wonderful song on Zoom TV…I was expecting more raunchy stuff – something like page 3 and a half!

Nothing lot to cover on Telugu channels – most of them were either someone slandering someone, and blood splashing all over the screen – some movie trailer! Or some other trailer, where screen looked like Adobe Photoshop’s color palette – a song and dance sequence where the hero, heroine and supporting cast dancers with their multi-color clothes

 

 

 

 

 

Dvaitam and tamilnadu

The great Pagutharivu (rationalism) corner of the Indian nation, is today propogating the Dvaita Philosophy vigorously: Courtesy : Kalagangal...oops...kazhakangal!

Here are the prominent Dvaita principles in vogue today:

• Jeya or Mu.Ka.
• Local Election Violence: Sun TV News version of ADMK inciting violence or Jaya TV news version of DMK arajakam
• Namitha in a club dance for Karunanidhi on Sun TV or Mumtaj in a cutpiece dance for Jayalalitha on Jaya TV. (seriously, I can emphathise Namitha dance for a 80+ year old male, but a Mumtaj cabaret for a lady...)
• Its Thirumavalavan in DMK or ADMK alliance
• Anbumani Ramadoss always meddling AIIMS or JIPMER
• Dead people in Tamilnadu are either Death due to mosquito illnss (according to JJ) or death due to natural causes (according to Kalaignar) like mosquito illness
• Its either Chikungunya or Dengue (but the great advaita point here is both are cause by Kosu)
• Namitha in Kumudam or Vikatan (again advaita: sometimes in both)
• Its either O. Paneerselvam or Vai. Ko. for JJ
• M.K. Stalin or Dayanidhi Maran for MK
• Thatha Rajinikanth always has as heroine: an ilamchittu or a puthumottu
• and forever, it is MGR or Sivaji, Rajini or Kamal, Ajith or Vijay, Vikram or Suriya, Simbu or vambu, Bharat or Arya....
  

Think the representative list is enough in itself. Thamizhanukku soranaiyay kedaiyaathu!!!

FM Formula 2.0

‘Till sometime, we had to be content with Radio Mirchi and Suriyan FM doling out “Oru maalai”, “Manjal Veyyil”, and “Namma kaatula” at least 3 times a day. Now 3 more have got added – Big FM, BBC + someone else JV FM and Radio City, which means we get to hear the same songs atleast more times in a day. Oh gosh! My life has been touched upon benevolently by the angels of entertainment media….

That’s exactly the outcome of these FM channels. No real difference in the content, no big difference in the presentation format.

Same dial-in :

“hello sollunga…unga radio volume konjam kammi pannuga” (Eng: hello, speak…reduce your radio volume)

“ethanai pasanga” – for elderly sounding people (Eng: how many kids?)

“enna padikireenga?” – for younger voices (Eng: what are you studying?)

“innikki enna samayal?” (Eng: what has been cooked today?) – wonder why they want to know?

“yaarukku intha paattu dedicate panreenga?” (Eng: whom do you want to dedicate this song to?)

And then the caller will basically pick his/her telephone book and start reading out the names.

A little variation to this dial-in is the caller’s entire family or friends circle will say “hello, very happy to have got through to the call”

Today FM Channel is like the archaic formula-based Tamil Masala Movie (5-songs, 2 fights, 1-dance and a Dhadha)…

Evolving a formula to help future FM Channels :

1. throw in a few dial-ins, some really stale jokes,
2. must have a signature line for the channel name like “sema hottu machi”, “aadalam paadalaam odalaam”
3. a standard signature tune, announce again and again the name of the FM Channel – as if it matters
4. choose a frequency like some2/3digit number point some 1-digit number
5. RJ guys have to necessarily talk in Madras Bashai, act completely stupid. However, if you are presenting a prog in the late night, you should talk absolutely slow and as much as possible in “thoo….ya tamil”, and play the standard “Mike Mohan” songs, along with worses…sorry…verses composed by breaking a sentence (mavanay, unnai maathiri aalukku death sentence kodukkanumda…)
6. RJ Girls should speak Tamil in the ratio of 5:1 – 1 Tamil word for every 5 English words, should have an artificial elevated enthusiasm in the voice, get excited for every word uttered by the caller, and of course, must ask irrelevant questions to callers in a dial-in program.
7. traffic updates(like at 9am announcing, it is crowded near Kathipara – well, what else did one expect), weather updates
8. run only mostly latest songs – doesn’t matter they sound good or bad
9. home kurippugal (homemaker tips) like mix hot water and cold water to bring down temperature of the water, the RJ must definitely gush and say “haiyo…romba super”
10. every one who has shown their face or any other part (like the actor who showed his hand, in left top corner of the screen with a monkey god makeup, who starred in the Ramayan serial) will participate in special “Live show” (now now…don’t get ideas…this is after all an audio medium)
11. for every 15 mins, stalwarts of Tamil filmdo(o)m like Jeyam Ravi, Silambarasan, Jeeva, Devyani, Namitha (hee hee hee) will have to say “neengal kettu kuttichuvarai poikondiruppathu”…oops…I meant ”neengal kaettu kondiruppathu <fmchannelname><fmchannelfrequencynumber><fmchanneltagline>” (Eng: you are listening to…..)
12. SMS based voting competition

There you have a FM Radio 2.0 formula! Have fun, go start a new channel.

PS: I have always wondered why is Suriyan FM is popular than other FM channels (proof: all Autos, Travels Cars and even few city Buses), even though there is absolutely no difference in songs or programmes. When I started traveling from MCity to MCity, and started using a FM radio for company, I knew what makes Suriyan FM tick! This is the only FM Channel that comes without any intermittent noise even at MCity.

Maarana, kokka?

Impact of SEZs!

Consider this.
While I appreciate and welcome the export-oriented Special Economic Zone that boosts the wider growth of the economy, it has always struck me as "at what cost?".
Taking away the farm lands, and erasing 1000's of acres to build concrete structures - what do we do to counter-balance the ecological, social and economic impact of this?

Taking away acres of farmland for SEZs definitely starts depleting the water table - to start with. It also adversely impacts the flora and fauna of the region. One of the positive solutions could be to make mandatory to create special agri zones - earmarking atleast 20% - within SEZ, to protect farming and provide all modern farming technology available to them. These would include providing amenities like deep bore-wells, water treatment plants.
Social impact of "haves" and "have-nots". Get the SEZ to depend on the agri produce of neighbouring villages. Also, allow for a "Farmer's Supermarket" kind of thing within SEZs. I feel this would start bridging the gaps, and help in local development. Allow for social development by first building schools with help of NGOs - let the corporate companies contribute to this at 100% tax-free; let these schools be vocational centers depending on the kind of industries that come up in the SEZs. Provide employment to atleast one member of every family, if the livelihood is to be affected by the forming of SEZs.
Economic imbalance created by the payout of market-price by the Govt to buy out the property. Any owned piece of land - either as investment or as mere wealth creation for the common locals becomes meaningless. The bureaucratic argument of "this piece of money will help them regain the piece of land elsewhere" may not be very applicable. First thing is the land-value appreciation in nearby areas. One of the solutions, I am thinking here would be to lease the land from the owner at the market price for say - 25 years or so. And renew the lease depending on the situation then - when even P. Chidambaram feels SEZs are paying off.
Prepare for SEZ Co-operative Banks and stores, in the lines of Grameen Banks model. Encourage the units within SEZ to use this bank for their salary accounts et al. Few more points to be added here, I am not clear about this right now.
Now how would we ensure establishing such measures? Any unit within SEZ would become operative only after there is a collective contribution for all of this. Or simply squeeze their u-know-where.

If such steps are not taken, SEZs would become another "Sardar Sarovar".

MCity to MCity

I was born and brought up in Triplicane.

Upto 12^th Standard, I studied at Triplicane Hindu Senior School. After that, for my UG, I joined Loyola College – hardly 20 mins by bus. Then, I did my PG at Pondicherry University, staying in the hostel. No commutes then. After education, I got a job with S. My first posting was at Alwarpet office, just 10 mins in my TVS Super XL. From there, I shifted to Teynampet. Again, just 15 mins by a vehicle. I grumbled for having to travel up to Chamiers Road to pick up my wife, because it took 20 minutes then to reach home. I fought with HR, when they posted me to Tidel Park. I rejected applying in companies like W, iG, V and all, because they were so far off at Guindy.

Talk about the irony of life. Today I travel all the way up to Chingleput for my new job.

Yes, that’s where my new work place is…from Madras City to Mahindra City, or MCity as it is called. It is just before Chingleput Toll Gate, and just after Singaperumalkoil.

I commute 4 hours daily – minimum. Consider that with 8.5 hours to clock in, excluding a 45 minute break. Throw in the 7.5 hour sleep required daily. And a 45 minutes in the morning “getting ready for office” do. All I am left with is just 3 hours. And I do not want to compromise on those 3 hours – the time I get to spend with my family.

All the tall talks about work-life balance in this IT field is bull. Consider the 3 hours I get with my family. How can I squeeze in a routine of exercise – at least a simple walk - to keep my cholesterol levels down?

Yes, at office, I get to spend only 8 hours, but the long commute given the Madras City Traffic, or the less frequent train journey, it is not very favorable. Of course, the easier solution might seem to relocate to somewhere nearer to a railway station.

So what are the choices of areas do I have for relocation?

Egmore, Central, Park – is ruled out thoroughly – given the high non-residential index (NRI) of these areas.

Chetpet – has off-late become pretty commercial and costly on the better home side, while other areas are pretty much living in water problems.

Nungambakkam, Kodambakkam, T. Nagar – apart from mosquitoes, nothing else is really comfortable. And they have legendary water problems, pollution, noise levels et al. And very heavily congested, and lot of floating population too adds to the woes.

Saidapet, Guindy – lacks proximity to good schooling or off-hand medical facilities.

From St. Thomas Mount onwards, it becomes pretty mofussil Madras, with its own problems ranging from lack of choice of schools – barring a select few, lack of abundance of hospitals, low voltage forever, bad roads, mosquitoes – epitome of Chikunguniya, lack of access to recreational places, lack of eatout places.

So, can’t really contemplate shifting. Have to bear the brunt, and grunt!

Impressive Railways

Recently I had to undertake a trip to Bangalore, and I was so lazy to go to a Railway Ticket booking counter, stand there and get the ticket booked. The option of using a travel agent was also not enticing because of 2 reasons: bit high service charges, and no guarantee if the person really understood my requirement and will be able to quickly think and decide.

 

I had heard of IRCTC:The railways website for internet ticket booking. But the concept of tikcet getting couriered was a little tacky. I decided to check out the site anyway. And oh boy! What a surprise!!

 

They had introduced eTickets. The booking was a breeze, not too many information request to piss the person off. You could check availability and different ticket, class, seat type combinations. And what more, the ticket can be booked till the time of chart preparation.

 

The payment is through number of ways including Bank accounts, credit cards. Even EMI options. Yes, EMI options, specifically provided by some banks. A decent internet connection is all you need.

 

The cancellation and failed payment transaction refund was also a breeze. A confirmation email is sent to you, and the money is safely credited back to you even if a transaction fails.

 

They even have frequent flier type of thing in the name of "shubh yatra" scheme. Few tieups too. Railways is becoming tech friendly and savvy.

 

Just cool.

 

Next time you want to go on a train journey, log on to http://www.irctc.co.in