[Assam] It is so unfortunate that the Sovereign of Pragjyotisha/Kamrup took part in this 'Brahmanic' war involving his non-Brahmanic subjects.
Chinese version of Mahabharata published http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/009200604200910.htm Beijing, April 20. (PTI): Sanskrit scholars in China have translated the Mahabharata, one of India's greatest epics, into Chinese language in a decade-long project as part of the effort to strengthen a people-to-people understanding and cultural ties. The Chinese experts, who are celebrating 2006 as the 'Year of India-China Friendship Year', said the voluminous publication will make s great contribution to the cultural exchange between China and India, both of which are ancient civilisations. Earlier, renowned Chinese Sanskrit scholar, Ji Xianlin, a professor at Beijing University, had translated Ramayana between the 1970s and 1980s. A senior researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) Institute of Foreign Literature, Huang Baosheng told reporters that Mahabharata depicts the Brahmanic war and showed legends, fables and anecdotes which embody theories of religion, philosophy, politics, military, law and ethics. Other Sanskritist experts started the translation of Mahabharata in the 1980s, which was listed as one national key academic project in the 1990s. The Chinese experts completed the translation in more than 10 years, ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
[Assam] Millions under the bread line in Assam and there are people to squander wealth for questionable products in the region!
Amway launches weight management product in Asom http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/Business/20060419/310788.html Guwahati | April 19, 2006 4:34:50 PM IST Leading direct selling FMCG company Amway today announced the launch of its weight management product 'Positrim' in Asom. Addressing a press meet here, corporate communications manager Rajat Banerji said the new product was a nutritionally balanced meal replacement low fat drink mix and had been proven to be effective in reducing obesity. Pointing out that Amway has become a Rs 633 crore company, Mr Banerji said Amway had been doing good business in the north east. He added that more products would be launched in the next few months. He informed that the company had set a growth target of over 10 per cent for the fiscal 2005-06 and drawn an aggressive strategy to achieve it. ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
[Assam] Photgraphs or screensaver
Dear all I need some pictures of assam lke popular sites ,tea garden, kaziranga, manas national park, Brahmaputra etcs.Please advise me some sites or some linksWith Regards Rizwan How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messengers low PC-to-Phone call rates.___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
[Assam] Fwd: [Appeal] How has Reservation in education helped you.
Sashi Kanth [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]From: "Sashi Kanth" [EMAIL PROTECTED]Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2006 19:45:38 -Subject: [Appeal] How has Reservation in education helped you.Visit http://www.ambedkar.org To unsubscribe this magazine, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] My Groups | D-Mag Main Page Dear Friends,In the past few days I have seen a lot of bashing on the web about reservation. To counter this we have to publish good stories about reservation.I am sure everyone of you on this forum have a good story. Please send it us. We will publish it on www.ambedkar.org. Please copy your stories to Takshak Chahande [EMAIL PROTECTED] With mettaSashi YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS Visit your group "D-Mag" on the web. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. Umesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] IE: Discrimination against muslims-how much ?
Masuk-da,Good to hear your views. I think that modernistic muslims need to 'infiltrate" these Madrasa boards and Waqf Boards to help bring about reforms. However, there is discrimination due to other factors as well. But so is againstminorities (such as immigrants) all over the world - and one needs to be skilled and strong enough to prove that you are (far far )better than the rest.regards.UmeshMasuk [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi,Thank you for making this debate in net. Actually, madrasas and waqf based education has not been developed with the changing of science and technology. Also general education is not updated with this changing in most of muslim countries.Masuk--At 06:54 AM 4/19/2006, umesh sharma wrote: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=66256Though I wonder why they are behind in education - in other muslim countires also - such as Pakistan etc. What are their madrasas doing and Waqf boards doing ?UmeshUmesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 207401-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005Yahoo! Photos NEW, now offering a quality print service from just 7p a photo. ___assam mailing listassam@assamnet.orghttp://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.orgUmesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005 To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Yahoo! Security Centre.___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] Assam Institute of Management
Shantikam-da,I would suggest that in an era when even students of top MBA programs in US etc are lining up to do summer inetrnship at Bangalore Tech companies etc - it would be a useful experience for your atudents as well.Further, tying up (affiliation/academic linkages with some good foreign US/UK etc ) based MBA programs would keep the program up to date - though I am sure you are making all efforts to ensure that even now.Regards and Congratulations of the achievements of AIM.UmeshShantikam Hazarika [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Another year has passed and we shall have our 11th Convocation on 21st April. Shri PP Srivastava, Member, NEC, would be the Chief Guest. 39 students from the regular full time two year PGDM batch and ten from the three year part time batch would get their diplomas. Incidentally, due to lack of demqand, we have stopped enrollment in the part time course and this would be the last batch to gradaute. We are happy that of the thrity nine graduating, 29 have already been placed through campus placement this time. Six of tyhem have already joined and would miss the Convocation. This has been very satisfactory as far as we are concerned since while in the past we always managed nearly 100% placement, not so many were placed even before the final exams or the Convocation. Also, in the past, a large number got placement by going outside the NE, but this time, all 29 were placed through campus placement. Our Placement co-ordinator, Prof. Nripendra Narayan Sharma has done a very good job., We may also mention that the Govt of Assam has declared that it would elevate the Assam Institute of Management to a national level institute. Yesterday, we had our Governing Body meeting and it was felt that we should try to generate as much resources from outside as possible. The state Government has earmarked a substantial sum for our infrastructure this year, but that may not be adequate. Also to tax the government further may not be desirable. I may also mention that the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), which is a staturoy body to regulate technical education in India has given us a grant of Rs. 7 lakhs to set up a Industry Institute partnership cell (IIPC) and we are amongst very few institutes in the East like IIT Kh, Jadavpur etc. who have got it. The objective is to transfer our expertise to local industry. Proif. Mukulesh Baruah of AIM would coordinate. This is indeed a prestigious assignment. The outgoing students were required to also organise seminars on contemporary issues and also undertake a socially relevant activity. They were divided into small groups of 4/5. Some of the seminar topics were: 1. Ecological rejuvenation of Assam through afforestation 2. Social impact of the Assam Movement 3. Say No to Bandhs 4. Developing sports potential of Asam 5. Impact of pressure groups in the development of Assam. 6. Reengineering the education system for Assam's development 7. Role of private sector in employment generation 8. Development of rural emtrepreurship 9. AIDS: Stigma and discrimination 10. Juvemnile delinquency problems in Assam. Many senior government officials, eminent personalities like HN Das, Prof. Nirmal Choudhury, Dr. SN Goswamy, Ms. Jahnabi Goswami, Dr. NC Borah, AASU leaders, Nagen Saikia, JP Rajkhowaetc took part in the seminars. Some of the social activities were: Developing health and social awareness amongst girl students in rural areas by conducting half day programmes at villages like Kaliabari village in Marigaon, Oulaguri village in Nalbari, at Sonapur, Bonda etc. One group did a campaign about wearing of helmets amongst college students while another did a awareness campaign about the illeffects of tobacco amongst school children. Three group organised daylong activties for disadavtaged children of Ashadeep, Sahayika, Snehalaya. The orphans of the Sishu Mangal Kendra were taken by a group to ACCOLAND, an amusement park that has come up at Rani in Guwahati. They spent a day there and took part in a drawing competitioon too. Shantikam Hazarika Assam Institute of Management___assam mailing listassam@assamnet.orghttp://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.orgUmesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005 Does your mail provider give you FREE antivirus protection? Get Yahoo! Mail___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
[Assam] poem - eight year olds - Bush on Math Now!
Hi,This is the poem made by joint effort of all the six students in the SES After School program . The program for this year ends next Thursday. I am on lookout for another job trill June to pay my bills.The program is promoted by Pres. Bush - he was quite close to our school the other day - talking about American Competitiveness http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/04/20060418-4.html http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1496890.cms I think I will use his speech printoutabout importance of SES - to support my H-1B application to continue to work in such a program. UmeshPS: The Poem:: is the greatest From the Start - to the heartYo Yo YoAnd More than Anything Else I learn I rap I sing I do math I turn the card - If I behave bad But I never do it So I rapO! O! O! is the Favorite Program So So So(They bow ) End.Umesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
[Assam] International finance and NE region
Guwahati, Thursday, April 20, 2006 EDITORIAL International finance and NE region Anubhav DuttaIn the matter of economic development, the North East region was always neglected by the various Central governments since the days of independence, resulting in a backward economy in the entire region despite having immense natural resources. The root cause of insurgency in the region lies in the poor economic condition reinforced by a galloping unemployment problem. There was a visible change of attitude of the Centre in the later part of the eighties when the Asom agitation culminated in the formation of a new government under the leadership of the student leaders.Firstly, the Central government decided to give 90 per cent of its planned fund as grant by reverting the earlier policy of providing loan for plan development. It would be worthmen-tioning in this context that the financial state of the provincial government was in a deplorable condition because of the debt trap the State fell into. At that stage the interest on loan always far exceeded the economic growth rate. The industrially and economically backward region hardly earned enough revenue to meet up its revenue expenditure let alone having any surplus to meet the plan expenditure. Financial power was concentrated in the Centre and the dependence of the Sate on the Centre for plan investment enormously grew. There was always a shortage of fund much more than its requirement to sustain a healthy economic growth. In fact this was one of the basic causes for the growth of regionalism in the entire region which has somehow distorted itself into fissiparous politics, not withstanding the reality that whatever plan flew to the State was hardly well appropriated. The misappropriation of government fund by the politician-bureaucrat-contractor nexus too was a chronic evil associated with governance regardless of the political parties in power.During the tenure of the Deve Gowda ministry at the Centre, a policy of giving due weightage to the need of the financially-starved region was adopted. Yet, paucity of fund for development still persisted because the financial crisis of the Central government was still continuing and international finance for investment in our country did not have a free flow as of now, may be due to the hesitation of the Central government to agree to all the conditionalities given by the international loan provider for whatever be the reason. Then came the BJP rule, who immediately accepted the conditionalties and all of a sudden the financial position of the Centre improved. The economic policy of the nation underwent a sea change and globalisation with the tenets of liberalisation and privatisation was endorsed by the Centre.The MoU was signed by the Asom Government with the Centre during the NDA tenure which amounted to accepting the conditionality of the international loan provider. Thus an era of fund availability for public investment set in Asom.The new economic regime of market economy naturally enhanced the importance of Asom and the NE region not only because of its abundant natural resources but due to its strategic importance as an economic corridor to the South East Asian market also. The long neglected region begot a poor infrastructure as legacy of colonial rule which needed vast improvement to match with the growing need of a market economy. Fund started to flow to the region from the Centre with the condition that the earlier imposed conditionalties are to be to be adhered to. The chronic financial crisis faced by the State Government suddenly disappeared and the government has stepped into a very convenient position to manage its finance. The problem of meeting the salary bills of the government employees were resolved. There was a splurge of fund for investment in the infra structural sector although FDI in the region was yet to follow. Needless to mention that any such plan investment should have contributed to the growth of the local economy of the region in terms of enhancing the purchasing power of the people as well as more revenue collection of the States exchequer on account of constructional activities. Employment generation should be a thrust area in a backward economy plagued by a long financial crunch, now removed.Such funds have been secured by the Central government as loan whereas it has been allotted to the NE region as grant. Naturally the matter of repayment of the loan would be a burden on the Centre. Ways and means for repayment has already been given by the loan provider. The State governments have been asked to commercialise the essential services and to corporatise the agencies responsible for imparting essential services. The loan amount has been proposed to be apportioned as share capital of the concerned corporation to enable to exact the same by way of enhanced electricity tariff, enhanced municipality tax or
[Assam] Dilbert on IIT
Dilbert on IIT Yahoo! Photos NEW, now offering a quality print service from just 7p a photo.attachment: Dilbert_IIT.jpg ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
[Assam] Fwd: World Bank Website: Live Chat on Monitoring the Millennium Development Goals
anyone interested? I submitted my question.UmeshResearch [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: From: Research[EMAIL PROTECTED]To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: World Bank Website: Live Chat on Monitoring the Millennium Development GoalsDate: Thu, 20 Apr 2006 18:48:00 -0400 How is the developing world faring on progress towards the Millennium Development Goals? On April 20, 2006 at their Spring Meetings, the World Bank and the IMF presented the2006 Global Monitoring Reporton progress towards these goals, a set of eight development targets originally approved by 189 countries in 2000, and reaffirmed by the international community in 2005. Join Mark Sundberg, Lead Author of this year's Global Monitoring Report and Brian Levy, Adviser, Public Sector Governance at the World Bank, in a live chat to discuss the goals and related issues on Tuesday, April 25 at 3 p.m. EDT. Submit your question now!Your SubscriptionWorld Bank newsletters and alerts are designed as informational resources forsubscribers only. Questions or comments should be addressed to: NewsLetter Admin.If you are no longer interested in receiving this newsletter, please send a blank email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Site Map | Index | FAQs | Contact Us | Search © 2005 The World Bank Group, All Rights Reserved. Legal. Umesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005 To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Yahoo! Security Centre.___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] 51 die in bus accident in Assam
May their souls rest in peace to next birth.I thought such things happened only in Himalayan roads.UmeshRajiv Baruah [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Shocking news. --- NEW DELHI, Apr 20, 2006 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- At least 51 passengers were killed and 10 others injured on Thursday morning when a bus skidded off a highway and fell into a pond in northeast India's Assam, Indo-Asian News Service reported. The bus driver lost control of the vehicle while trying to negotiate a sharp bend around 01:00 a.m. local time Thursday near a village named Goumari in Assam, the local police said. "It was raining and the bus probably swerved off the highway and plunged deep into the pond," a police official said. The bus was carrying about 70 people from Raha in eastern Assam to Goumari village for a wedding, the official added. "We have recovered 51 bodies. There could be some more in the pond and divers are at work," the official said, adding that most victims died of asphyxiation unable to get out of the bus after it fell in the pond. At least 10 people were seriously injured and they were sent to hospital. Copyright 2006 XINHUA NEWS AGENCY___assam mailing listassam@assamnet.orghttp://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.orgUmesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] poem - eight year olds - Bush on Math Now! --Kathak
I forgot to mention that in the poem recitationthere has to be movement - as told by our site manager.So at each underlined word they would do some action --just like Kathak dance (Katha - means story --so Kathak is telling story thru dance). We got the hand movements right --such as pointing the firnger to one's head -while on the words "I learn." Now to incorporate some leg movements -- this coreography is new to me!ANy suggestions?Umeshumesh sharma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi,This is the poem made by joint effort of all the six students in the SES After School program . The program for this year ends next Thursday. I am on lookout for another job trill June to pay my bills.The program is promoted by Pres. Bush - he was quite close to our school the other day - talking about American Competitiveness http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/04/20060418-4.html http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1496890.cms I think I will use his speech printoutabout importance of SES - to support my H-1B application to continue to work in such a program. UmeshPS: The Poem:: is the greatest From the Start - to the heart Yo Yo YoAnd More than Anything Else I learn I rap I sing I do math I turn the card - If I behave bad But I never do it So I rapO! O! O! is the Favorite Program So So So(They bow ) End.Umesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 207401-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005 Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com ___assam mailing listassam@assamnet.orghttp://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.orgUmesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005 24 FIFA World Cup tickets to be won with Yahoo! Mail. Learn more ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] MRTS for Guwahati
How about making a Beltway --like in Washington DC or Delhi's Ring Road around the city - for a start. I think it would be cheaper and eaier to build and take off load from inner city . Also, how does one to tackle the floods - which frequent the city?UmeshDilip/Dil Deka [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Guwahati definitely needs better mass transportation and this article makes the case for MRTS well. Do you think MRTS will be a good solution to Guwahati's road traffic nightmare? Dilip = The property prices in Pitampura and Rohini have more than doubled during the last three years. Earlier these places, though in Delhi, were considered to be in the back of beyond because they were so far from the city centre at Con-naught Place. The rather uncomfortable journey by bus or car through crowded roads with heavy traffic and high pollution levels took around an hour. Property prices in Rohini were once comparable to those in Guwahati. Not any more. What has brought about this drastic change?The catalyst for this huge transformation has been Delhis MRTS, its Metro Railway.As cities grow in size, the number of vehicular trips on the road system goes up. This necessitates a pragmatic policy shift to discourage private modes and encourage public transport once the level of traffic along any travel corridor in one direction exceeds 20,000 persons per hour.Guwahati, with a population of over one million, depends almost entirely on buses as its sole mode of mass transport. Bus services are inadequate and heavily overcrowded. This situation has led to a proliferation of personal vehicles, a majority of which are two-wheelers. The results of extreme congestion on the roads are ever slowing speeds, increasing accident rate, fuel wastage and environmental pollution. Pollution related health problems are reaching disconcerting levels. Today the traffic on the roads of Guwahati is a heterogeneous mix of cycles, scooters, buses, cars and rickshaws jostling with each other. This has resulted in a chaotic situation, so much so that the average number of persons killed or injured due to road accidents has increased drastically. Even widening the roads and building flyovers to ease the flow of traffic have offered limited gains as the vehicle and human population have both shot up. The position is expected to deteriorate further in the years to come.To meet forecasted transport demand for the year 2010, the number of buses will have to be at least doubled and personal vehicles will grow three-fold. This is sure to lead to further worsening of the levels of congestion and pollution, which has already crossed acceptable limits in many part of the city.Immediate steps are therefore needed to improve both the quality and availability of mass transport service. This is possible only if a non-polluting rail-based MRTS (mass rapid transit system) is introduced in the city. According to the 2001 census, India requires mass rapid transit systems in 35 metropolitan cities with more than one million population. The rail-based MRTS basically involves the use of electric trains, each capable of carrying hundreds of passengers, traversing the length and breadth of the city at high speeds, using tracks laid in underground tunnels or overhead elevated pillars, without hindrance from road traffic or conventional railway trains. Special features of these trains include wide aisles for rapid passenger movement as the train stops for only a minute or so at each station, sensor operated doors which refuse to shut if passengers stand too close to them, a climate control system, an internal public address system to provide information about stations to passengers, sturdy handles and straps for the standing passengers to cling on to and comfortable bench seats including reserved ones for the old and physically challenged.MRTS is essentially a social sector project, whose benefits will pervade wide sections of the economy by way of:l Time saving for commutersl Reliable and safe journeyl Reduction in atmospheric pollutionl Reduction in accidentsl Reduced fuel consumptionl Reduced vehicle operating costsl Increase in the average speed of road vehiclesl Improvement in the quality of lifel More attractive city for economic investment and growthHowever, mass rapid transit systems are capital intensive and have long gestation periods. Therefore, planning has to be done well ahead. It has been observed that in developed countries, planning for a mass transit system starts when the city population size exceeds one million; the system is in position by the time the city population is two to three million and once the population exceeds four million or so, planned extensions to the MRTS is vigorously taken up. All cities with more than three million population should have a metro system.In developing countries including India, because of paucity of funds, planning and implementation of rail-based
Re: [Assam] Dilbert on IIT
thats a good one. I thought I saw one on IITians some years back also though -reprinted in Indian newspapers.UmeshMalabika Brahma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Dilbert on IIT Yahoo! Photos NEW, now offering a quality print service from just 7p a photo.___assam mailing listassam@assamnet.orghttp://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.orgUmesh Sharma5121 Lackawanna STCollege Park, MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]Ed.M. - International Education PolicyHarvard Graduate School of Education,Harvard University,Class of 2005Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] Dilbert on IIT
Yeh to dekha hua hai, shuna hua hai. How much flogging can the IITians stand? :-) Dilip Malabika Brahma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Dilbert on IIT Yahoo! Photos NEW, now offering a quality print service from just 7p a photo.___assam mailing listassam@assamnet.orghttp://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] MRTS for Guwahati
There is a kind of a ring road that bypasses the city. However it is not enough. There definitely is a need for mass transportation through the city. City buses ply but they are all small. Dilipumesh sharma [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:How about making a Beltway --like in Washington DC or Delhi's Ring Road around the city - for a start. I think it would be cheaper and eaier to build and take off load from inner city . Also, how does one to tackle the floods - which frequent the city?UmeshDilip/Dil Deka [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Guwahati definitely needs better mass transportation and this article makes the case for MRTS well. Do you think MRTS will be a good solution to Guwahati's road traffic nightmare? Dilip = The property prices in Pitampura and Rohini have more than doubled during the last three years. Earlier these places, though in Delhi, were considered to be in the back of beyond because they were so far from the city centre at Con-naught Place. The rather uncomfortable journey by bus or car through crowded roads with heavy traffic and high pollution levels took around an hour. Property prices in Rohini were once comparable to those in Guwahati. Not any more. What has brought about this drastic change?The catalyst for this huge transformation has been Delhis MRTS, its Metro Railway.As cities grow in size, the number of vehicular trips on the road system goes up. This necessitates a pragmatic policy shift to discourage private modes and encourage public transport once the level of traffic along any travel corridor in one direction exceeds 20,000 persons per hour.Guwahati, with a population of over one million, depends almost entirely on buses as its sole mode of mass transport. Bus services are inadequate and heavily overcrowded. This situation has led to a proliferation of personal vehicles, a majority of which are two-wheelers. The results of extreme congestion on the roads are ever slowing speeds, increasing accident rate, fuel wastage and environmental pollution. Pollution related health problems are reaching disconcerting levels. Today the traffic on the roads of Guwahati is a heterogeneous mix of cycles, scooters, buses, cars and rickshaws jostling with each other. This has resulted in a chaotic situation, so much so that the average number of persons killed or injured due to road accidents has increased drastically. Even widening the roads and building flyovers to ease the flow of traffic have offered limited gains as the vehicle and human population have both shot up. The position is expected to deteriorate further in the years to come.To meet forecasted transport demand for the year 2010, the number of buses will have to be at least doubled and personal vehicles will grow three-fold. This is sure to lead to further worsening of the levels of congestion and pollution, which has already crossed acceptable limits in many part of the city.Immediate steps are therefore needed to improve both the quality and availability of mass transport service. This is possible only if a non-polluting rail-based MRTS (mass rapid transit system) is introduced in the city. According to the 2001 census, India requires mass rapid transit systems in 35 metropolitan cities with more than one million population. The rail-based MRTS basically involves the use of electric trains, each capable of carrying hundreds of passengers, traversing the length and breadth of the city at high speeds, using tracks laid in underground tunnels or overhead elevated pillars, without hindrance from road traffic or conventional railway trains. Special features of these trains include wide aisles for rapid passenger movement as the train stops for only a minute or so at each station, sensor operated doors which refuse to shut if passengers stand too close to them, a climate control system, an internal public address system to provide information about stations to passengers, sturdy handles and straps for the standing passengers to cling on to and comfortable bench seats including reserved ones for the old and physically challenged.MRTS is essentially a social sector project, whose benefits will pervade wide sections of the economy by way of:l Time saving for commutersl Reliable and safe journeyl Reduction in atmospheric pollutionl Reduction in accidentsl Reduced fuel consumptionl Reduced vehicle operating costsl Increase in the average speed of road vehiclesl Improvement in the quality of lifel More attractive city for economic investment and growthHowever, mass rapid transit systems are capital intensive and have long gestation periods. Therefore, planning has to be done well ahead. It has been observed that in developed countries, planning for a mass transit system starts when the city population size exceeds one million; the system is in position by the time the city population is two to three million and once the population exceeds four million or so, planned
