The Hindu : Readers' Mail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 23, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Readers' Mail

Introduce bus service

Sir, -- The Kazhakuttom-Kovalam stretch of the bypass on National Highway - 47 (NH), which was inaugurated recently, is a boon to people who travel to Thiruvananthapuram city by private vehicles. The distance from Kazhakuttom to East Fort has been reduced considerably. It takes just 15 minutes from Kazhakuttom to East Fort, if one were to take the bypass via Chacka, Enchakkal, and West Fort.

However, the bypass has not benefited commuters using public transport, because of the absence of public transport on this stretch. Commuters from Atttingal and Kollam heading for various offices at Palayam, Statue, East Fort, Airport, etc. are forced to take the congested route through Sreekariyam, Ulloor, Pattom, Palayam and Pulimoodu. Again, they are forced to depend on city buses or autorickshaws to reach their destination after reaching the Thampanoor KSRTC bus stand.

These commuters could also be benefited if city bus services were introduced from Kazhakuttom/Kaniyapuram to East Fort via Chacka and Enchakkal through the bypass. The newly-introduced mini-buses could be deployed on this route.

Another route could be through Kanniyappuram-Kazhakuttom-Venpalavattom-Chakka-Palayam-Statue and East Fort. This would help people working in the Secretariat, AG's office, etc.

Would the authorities concerned take a look into the matter? The scheme would also help residents of Venpalavattom, Kuzhivila, Oruvathilkotta, Veli, Karikkakom and Anayara. It would also be an advantage for traders and consumers of the new agricultural wholesale market at Venpalavattom.

R. Roji

Anayara

Expedite work

Sir, --- The reconstruction of the railway track on the third platform at the Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station is moving at a snail's pace. This has affected the movement of trains. Many trains are delayed on account of the non-availability of platforms. Passenger trains such as the Kottayam-Nagercoil and Kollam-Madurai are often detained outside the station. This puts commuters and travellers to a great deal of trouble.

It is a pity that the Railways could not construct the basement of the track even after several days of the commencement of work, that too at a station where the volume of traffic has reached its saturation point.

Moreover, the movement of passengers has also been hit by the dumping of construction materials such as sand and metal on the narrow platform.

Will the Divisional Railway Manager look into the matter and take immediate steps to expedite the construction work?

K.P. Ashok Kumar

Pattom

Beautify park

Sir, --- The three traffic islands and the Ponnara Sreedharan Park at Thampanoor are not properly maintained. The traffic islands are in a pathetic state. The park is full of beggars from neighbouring States. Those who enter the capital city of God's Own Country would certainly find this unattractive. The authorities concerned should make this place more attractive.

Karamana Manikantan Nair

Vanchiyoor

Aesthetically designed

Sir, --- The Gandhi Park at East Fort was opened after a number of controversies over its construction and design.

Its attractive layout and aesthetically designed work came as a surprise to many sceptics in the city, who never expected the Government to come up with something so pleasing.

It is a feather in the cap of the Tourism Department. However, I request the Tourist Department not to hand it over to the Corporation. The former Minister, K.V. Thomas, had done a great deal of good work for tourism in the State.

K. Viswanathan

Thycaud

A `false claim'

Sir,-- This is with reference to the article, `A show of coins', which appeared in The Hindu (February 15). I wish to set the record straight on certain aspects of the article.

The XIV Annual Conference of the South Indian Numismatic Society (SINS), was hosted by the Department of Archaeology, Government of Kerala, at the VJT Hall. A collection of rare Roman coins, Venetian Ducats, etc. and photographs of coins were exhibited at the venue by the Department of Archaeology, apparently with the good intention of enlightening the public.

The exhibits, captions and details were furnished by the department and had nothing to do with the SINS.

A glaring mistake in the exhibition was the tall claim that the `half Chukram' of Travancore is considered to be the smallest coin in the world. A photograph of the coin was exhibited with the above description. However, no dimension or weight of this silver coin was mentioned. The layman who saw the photograph had no means of ascertaining the veracity of the claim in the absence of the above details. The coin weighing 0.18 gm and with a diameter of 5mm is nowhere near the smallest coin in South India, let alone the world.

The silver `eighth Tara' of Vijayanagar with the weight of 0.03 gm and diameter 4 mm is easily the smallest silver coin ever struck in South India (ref : Michael Mitchner, The Coinage and History of Southern India, Part I, Hawkins Publications, London,1998, p.169 coin no.522 & 523).

The article `A show of coins' has inadvertently highlighted this false claim with the result that even those who did not see the exhibition, might get a wrong impression.

Beena Sarasan

Tennis Club Enclave

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala

News Update

Stories in this Section

Call for early correction of visual problems in children

Minister to inaugurate sewerage scheme

Arrack seized; one held

3,01,293 children administered polio vaccine

Malaria: no new cases reported

Linux workshop on February 25

Around The City

In Thiruvananthapuram Today

Readers' Mail