Latest news with #Velmurugan
Time of India
12-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Why Pedestrians Can't Just Be An Afterthought
New Delhi: As India debates how to make its roads safer, experts at the National Road Safety Summit turned the spotlight on something often overlooked in city planning — people on foot. Pedestrian-centric road infrastructure and adherence to Indian Roads Congress (IRC) guidelines, along with the critical role of road engineering, took the centre stage. A slide in the background set the tone for the discussion — it showed what an ideal road should look like: 360-degree visibility, clear lane markings, walkable footpaths, well-maintained vegetation, and smooth merging lanes. Speakers highlighted challenges such as inadequate signage, overgrown vegetation affecting visibility near crossings, and the dominance of vehicle-centric planning. "Engineering plays a crucial role in reducing fatalities, but it can only contribute up to 20% in crash prevention," said Dr S Velmurugan, chief scientist at CSIR-CRRI. "But engineering alone isn't enough. Crashes occur not only due to poor engineering but also due to a multitude of factors encompassing the other 4 Es. These include enforcement issues, lack of road user education, emergency care not available within the golden hour of the crash and poor environment. " He pointed out that India's national highways have nearly doubled, from 70,000 km to 1.44 lakh km in the last 12 years. Yet in cities like Delhi, pedestrians, cyclists, e-rickshaw and two-wheelers account for 75-80% of fatalities. "We need realistic targets and a systemic shift," he said One major concern got repeated mention — non-adherence to not having plantation for at least 120 metres at the median openings as well as at the intersections of the divided carriageways. Discussions also covered blocked or minimised zebra crossings, worn-out markings, and footpaths that are either missing or encroached upon. "Pedestrian infrastructure is routinely compromised," Velmurugan said. "We need an inclusive approach that respects every user's right to safe passage." A question brought attention to jaywalking on the Delhi-Meerut expressway, despite iron grills, questioning people's mindset and justifying the vegetation and iron grills. Dr Mukti Advani, senior principal scientist at CSIR-CRRI, said: "At many such locations, there is no pedestrian infrastructure. You can't blame behaviour when design fails." Children were flagged as especially at risk. "Over 50% of child traffic deaths happen on highways, and 36% in cities, often near intersections," said Syed Hubbe Ali, a health specialist at UNICEF India. Swantantra Kumar of 3M India added: "Safe school zones must anticipate child movement, with speed limits and signs marking entry and exit points." Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
India Today
05-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
DMK ally party leader slammed for vulgar remarks on girl students hugging actor Vijay
MLA Velmurugan from Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, an ally of the ruling DMK, has come under widespread criticism for making vulgar comments about girl students who attended actor-politician Vijay's recent prize distribution event for board exam toppers in Tamil Nadu.'For 2 gm gold, the idiot has taken this girl child to the event. Doesn't he have sense? Tomorrow the girl is going to be someone's wife. In front of the media and everyone, the girl child hugs the cinema actor. Is this Tamil culture? They all say Vijay Anna. If he acts well then limit it to just praising him,' Velmurugan, in a separate speech, said about the felicitation event. advertisementThe event in question was organised by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay on May 30 to felicitate Class 10 and 12 board exam toppers, particularly from government schools. Several students were seen embracing Vijay on stage, which Velmurugan questioned publicly, calling it contrary to Tamil culture. BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan condemned Velmurugan's comments, calling them vulgar. Shesaid, 'I condemn your vulgar speech. TVK president Thambi (Brother) Vijay organised a programme to encourage students who have passed the exams. Sometimes I have differences with the political views he expresses, but I welcome the fact that he met more students studying in government schools and encouraged them, as someone who knows their thirst for knowledge.'She further said, 'Tamil is beautiful, your (Velmuruan) mind is dirty. Children calling him 'Anna' (Brother) is only an expression of love in Tamil. This is a call beyond politics. But insulting that relationship not only hurts the hearts of those children but also the hearts of the parents who support them. What you are doing is neither displaying Tamil culture nor humanity. I strongly condemn Thiru Velmurugan's vulgar speech.'advertisementThe remarks and ensuing backlash come days after Tamilisai tacitly extended an invitation for Vijay to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Her strong defence of Vijay amid the controversy has further fuelled speculation about the BJP's interest in courting Velmurugan issued a clarification in a tone some have described as threatening, claiming only a small portion of his speech is being used to attack him. He said, 'Some half-bakeds are seeking my apology instead of fully listening to my over-an-hour long speech and releasing statements and making noise. Don't do this.''I am saying this in a civilised manner. I didn't come to politics directly,' he said, adding. 'My young life started with those who sought a separate nation and fought against the extremism of the Union government. Did I say anywhere that Vijay kissed a young woman? Or behaved in an odd manner on the stage where gifts were given? I didn't say anything. Why are you taking it in such a manner?'Velmurugan went on to say Vijay should not allow 'mushrooms' to criticise his party members and suggested that if there was an objection to his speech, those concerned should hold a press meet and question him directly, rather than asking 'amateurs' to post videos on social media. 'Vijay should stop this immediately,' he said. IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
India Today
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Karnataka High Court judge acted as Kannadiga: Tamil Nadu MLA backs Kamal Haasan
Tamizhaga Vaazhvurimai Katchi (TVK) leader and Banrutti MLA T Velmurugan on Tuesday came out strongly in support of actor Kamal Haasan and criticised the Karnataka High Court for its observations during the hearing on Haasan's film Thug to Justice M Nagaprasanna's remarks criticising the actor's stance and remark, Velmurugan alleged that 'even the judge acted as a Kannadiga.' He accused the court of being partial and said that 'along with water, now justice is also denied in Karnataka.'advertisementThe MLA said that if Thug Life is banned in Karnataka, then 'no Kannada movie will be allowed to be screened in Tamil Nadu.' He also urged Tamil cinema associations to take a stand on the issue. 'Tamil cinema unions must not employ Kannada actors or technicians until the issue is resolved,' Velmurugan comments come after the Karnataka High Court criticised Haasan over his recent remark that 'Kannada language was born out of Tamil" during a film promotion event in Chennai. His remarks drew sharp criticism from pro-Kannada groups, with protests demanding an apology from the actor and a ban on the release of his court questioned Haasan's refusal to apologise and asked, 'Are you a historian? Or a linguist?' Justice Nagaprasanna observed, 'Water, land and language — Jala, Nila, Bashe — are important to citizens,' and added, 'No citizen has the right to hurt sentiments.'advertisementVelmurugan, however, accused the judiciary of failing to remain neutral in the matter and expressed full support for Life producers informed the High Court on Tuesday that the movie will not be released in Karnataka on June 5, the scheduled date for the pan-India InMust Watch
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Why does Delhi's local train system lie in ruins?
The story so far: While the Delhi metro has recently announced a facility to buy QR tickets on 11 different apps, the Delhi suburban Railway, often referred to as the Delhi local, lies derelict. When did the system start? Delhi got its local train service in the first decade after Independence. On January 2, 1955, Delhi's first local train ran from New Delhi station to Sarojini Nagar, then known as Vinay Nagar. The network then gradually expanded to connect Delhi with its neighbouring cities. Today, the suburban system links seven key hubs across the National Capital Region (NCR) — from Sonipat, Bhiwani, Rewari and Palwal in Haryana to Meerut, Ghaziabad, and Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh — with Delhi at its centre. What is its current state? Built to serve suburban commuters, this network was meant to ease traffic and support daily travel. But in reality, it's overcrowded, unreliable, and neglected. According to Dr. Velmurugan Senathipati of the Central Road Research Institute, despite its wide reach — especially in NCR's rural areas — the Delhi local carries just 0.5% to 3% of commuter traffic, far below the ideal 6-7%. Passengers report waiting over an hour, 15 times longer than the metro, only to board jam-packed coaches. Sarita Sethi, a government employee commuting from New Town, Faridabad to Okhla, states, 'My commute should ideally be 25 minutes but it's always nearly an hour long due to unscheduled halts as express trains are prioritised.' Nikhil, a railway employee, says, 'There are too many passengers and too few trains. Forget about sitting, during evenings, you can't even stand in the train.' Unlike the Metro, enforcement of women-only coaches is lax in the local. Mrs. Sethi says, 'Men often enter the ladies coach brazenly. Safety and theft are constant concerns. When the train's late in the evenings, the journey from the station to home can easily become a nightmare.' Dr. Velmurugan's study confirms this insecurity, as women make up just 14.6% of local train passengers. Is the metro a better alternative? The local train service in Delhi is much more affordable than the metro. Dr. Velmurugan's research shows that nearly 40% of suburban rail passengers earn less than ₹5,000 a month. For them, the local train is not just a choice, it's the only option they can afford. A local train ride from Greater Noida to Delhi costs just ₹15, compared to ₹90 by metro or ₹69 through a bus-metro combo, excluding last mile connection fares. Over a month, that's ₹750 by the local versus a staggering ₹4,500 by metro. Moreover, a Monthly Season Ticket (MST) brings costs down to just ₹270 a month or ₹9 a day. Additionally, local trains have a dedicated vendors' bogey, widely used by dairy farmers to transport produce to markets like Sadar Bazaar and Chandni Chowk. But even this advantage is fading. Amit, a dairy farmer from Ajayabpur village in Greater Noida, says, 'We had to stop using the local because delays were spoiling the produce. My friends now either rely on road transport or have quit the trade altogether, it just isn't profitable anymore.' These concerns have driven passengers to explore more reliable — though far costlier — alternatives, such as private buses or personal vehicles. Railway officials have noted a sharp decline in the issuance of MSTs, a clear sign that even loyal users are abandoning the system. What should be done? Dr. Velmurugan states, 'the local isn't a replacement for the Metro, it should complement it. It can act as a feeder service across NCR's rural areas where the Metro can't go. Plus, it's cheaper to build. There needs to be resonance, not a race,' he explains. Dr. Velmurugan suggests better scheduling, increased frequency, newer train sets, and most importantly, dedicated tracks. These changes, he says, could revive the system. But there are no such official modernisation or renovation plans in the offing as of now.
New Indian Express
04-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Chargesheet filed in HAL case only for namesake: CBI court
BENGALURU: It appears that based only on the departmental inquiry report, an investigation officer (IO) filed the final chargesheet without conducting his own proper investigation. The IO neither opted to collect the required available documents nor examined and recorded statements of material witnesses. Also, the chargesheet was filed without a proper investigation to unearth the truth, observed the Special Court for CBI Cases, acquitting S Velmurugan, then Deputy General Manager, HR Rotary Wing Research and Design Centre (RWRDC), Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and one Binish Thomas, who were chargesheeted by the CBI in a corruption case. It was alleged that Velmurugan, between 2015 and 2018, abused his official position and unauthorisedly promised KC Samuel, chairman of Evehans Academy to lease HAL land of 6.5 acres at Doddanekkundi, opposite ISRO complex, in favour of the Academy, which was looking for land to set up a training institute in aerospace and other engineering courses. He allegedly did it without the approval of competent authorities. He also allegedly made Samuel pay him and Binish Rs 1.30 crore as 'due deposit' for leasing the land by committing the offence under provisions of IPC and Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. HAL filed the complaint with the CBI, Bengaluru on August 17, 2020. Shridhar Gopalakrishna Bhat, Principal Special Judge for CBI cases, said the prosecution failed to prove with convincing, cogent and acceptable evidence the fraudulent and dishonest inducement of Samuel. It is clear that the IO has not conducted the investigation as required. Viewed from any angle, it cannot be said the prosecution has proved the ingredients of the offence of cheating against the accused beyond reasonable doubt, the judge added. The departmental inquiry was held against Velmurugan for the abuse of official position and misusing the letterhead of RWRDC, HAL, for leasing the HAL property. The inquiry proved charges against him and he was demoted to the Senior Manager Grade from Deputy Manager Grade VII. The accused, however, told the court that it was challenged before the high court. The court observed that in the departmental enquiry, the standard of proof is only preponderance of probability and whereas, in the criminal prosecution, it is beyond reasonable doubt. Therefore, in criminal prosecution, the prosecution has to prove the case against the accused persons beyond all reasonable doubt. But the prosecution failed to prove the payment of Rs 1.30 crore against accused No. 1 and 2, the court said.
