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MINUS
Jun 2, 2011, 9:48 AM
Ever tasted jackfruit biriyani? Or jackfruit wine? These and much more would be spread out at the first-ever National Jackfruit Fest to be held in the city from Saturday. At least 68 varieties of jackfruit dishes, right from soups to desserts, await gourmets at the fest, which will be held at Kanakakkunnu.

The three-day-long jackfruit fest is a concerted effort by a group of organisations and local bodies to introduce jackfruit as a means to achieve local food security. Announcing the fest at a press meet here, Mayor K Chandrika said that jackfruit is largely available in our homes, but is hugely neglected. But it can give us some of the tasty dishes, she said. That it grows without the use of fertilizers or manure is its strong point, she said.

To do its bit, the City Corporation has decided to be a part of the national fest and promote the planting of jackfruit throughout the district with the cooperation of the District Panchayat. ‘’Around one lakh jackfruit saplings would be planted in the city as part of the fest and also to mark the World Environment Day, which falls on June 5,’’ said G Happykumar, Deputy Mayor.

On the roadsides, inside open compounds and backyards of houses, the saplings would be planted. There are many varieties of jackfruit; accordingly, the saplings are also of different types.

There are species which do not grow after a certain height, which could be more widely used so that in future the branches do not pose a hurdle to motorists or pedestrians, organisers said at a press meet.

At the fest, more varieties from different parts of India and outside like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka would be displayed. There will be a food court, where the jackfruit dishes would be served. Those who would love to watch the dishes in the making could do so at the live demo, which would be held from 5 pm to 8 pm on all three days. Hawaii Fruit Growers’ Association president Kenlev and James P Mathew, a farmer based in Palakkad, would lead the demonstrations.

To showcase the different varieties of the fruit, a photo exhibition has also been planned. A seminar on ‘Jackfruit for local food security’ would be held on Saturday which would be inaugurated by Additional Chief Secretary K Jayakumar. There will be cookery competitions and quiz competitions which will be held on June 6 from 10 am.

The food fest would be inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Agriculture K V Thomas.

The valedictory function would be attended by Minister for Panchayats M K Muneer. The fest has the support of State Horticulture Mission, NABARD, National Horticulture Board, Kerala State Biodiversity Board, Kerala Agricultural University, Santhigram, Uravu, CISSA, Sahayi, Mitraniketan, Adike Patrike, Information and Public Relations Department and FRAT.
Source : Expressbuzz

MINUS
Jun 2, 2011, 4:32 PM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The district administration has taken steps to ease traffic congestion on the approach roads to the new international terminal building (NITB) of the Thiruvananthapuram international airport and at the busy Thiruvallam and Kovalam junctions along the Kazhakuttom-Inchivila NH 47 bypass.

Vehicles coming through the bypass from Chakka and Pettah to the NITB will not be allowed to turn right near a private hospital there. A meeting of the Road Safety Authority (RSA), chaired by District Collector Dinesh Arora, here recently decided that vehicles will have to move through the gate adjacent to the Chakka bridge to enter the NITB.

The vehicles coming from Kovalam side can enter the NITB through the bypass itself.

The police had been asked to put up barricades to prevent the right turn of the vehicles to the NITB. The Public Works Department and the Airports Authority of India will put up sign boards and lights for the benefit of motorists. The National Highway authorities had been asked to install street lights at various spots.

To ensure smooth flow of traffic, to curb accidents, and ensure the safety of pedestrians, the RSA had asked the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) to design roundabouts in front of the private hospital near Chakka, and at the Thiruvallam and Kovalam junctions.

As many as 10 decibel meters will be procured using the RSA fund to check sound pollution.
Source : The Hindu

MINUS
Jun 8, 2011, 6:39 AM
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:banana::banana:

MINUS
Jun 8, 2011, 6:40 AM
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Source : Metro Manorama by Malayala Manorama

MINUS
Jun 8, 2011, 6:42 AM
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Source : Malayala Manorama

MINUS
Jun 8, 2011, 6:43 AM
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MINUS
Jun 8, 2011, 6:44 AM
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MINUS
Jun 8, 2011, 7:04 AM
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Source : Kerala Kaumudi

MINUS
Jun 11, 2011, 11:40 AM
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Source : Metro Manorama by Malayala Manorama

MINUS
Jun 11, 2011, 12:32 PM
Business traffic and business class traffic through the Thiruvananthapuram international airport to countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York in the U.S. have increased.

There has been 15 per cent increase in business traffic and 10 per cent increase in business class traffic through the Thiruvananthapuram airport alone on Emirates during the April 2010-May 2011 period, Asha Subramanian, Sales Manager, South Kerala, told reporters here on Friday. “It is an emerging trend and the U.K, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Canada are the preferred destinations of those flying with us.”

The movement of IT and BPO personnel, entrepreneurs to the U.S. and families travelling to destinations in the U.S. are cited as the main reasons for the increase in business traffic and business class traffic from the State capital. Another emerging trend is the increase in traffic from the State capital to destinations in Africa-South Africa, Lagos and Accra.

The overall traffic of the airline from Thiruvananthapuram has gone up by 16 per cent during the last year and the revenue had increased by 34 per cent. The airline, which operates 12 flights a week from Thiruvananthapuram international airport to Dubai using A-330 that can accommodate 27 in the Business class and 251 in the Economy, has now a cabin factor of 80-84 per cent.

Ms. Asha said the airline has a healthy increase in the traffic out of Thiruvananthapuram airport to Europe, U.S., Africa, GCC countries and Dubai. The movement of Keralites on holiday to Europe and Switzerland by flying out of Thiruvananthapuram on Emirates is also on the increase. Many are using the attractive packages offered by the airline and going to Switzerland and then moving to France, Italy and Germany.

The ‘Dubai Stopover” scheme is also a hit among those flying on Emirates as many are opting to stay in Dubai for one night or two nights by paying additional amount. The airline will commence a daily flight from Dubai to St. Petersburg in Russia from November 1.

The uplift of cargo by Emirates has also not been affected in spite of the new facilities that have come up at the Cochin International Airport Ltd. at Nedumbaserry. The airline uplifts 180 tonnes on a weekly basis from Thiruvananthapuram comprising mainly garments, perishables, pharmaceuticals and engineering goods. In addition, the airline also operates freighter services using Boeing 777 from Dubai to Thiruvananthapuram and back to Dubai via Hong Kong. Passenger traffic from Kochi during the period has grown by over 5 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Source : The Hindu

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:27 AM
3 More Prepaid Auto/Taxi Counters For The City

Trivandrum: The district administration is planning to open up new prepaid auto/taxi counters at 3 locations in the city -Medical College, Pettah and General Hospital Junction. The decision was taken during a session of the Road Safety Authority meeting convened at the Collectorate conference hall on Thursday. The proposal for the prepaid counters will be submitted to the newly appointed District Collector P M Francis and is to be made effective immediately.

Apart from this, the topics discussed at the meeting included the setting up of several new traffic signals and bus shelters in the city . The police department has been given the task of finding locations for new bus shelters in the city. The Public Works Department (PWD) and Highway Authority have been given instructions to submit the already received bus shelter proposals (numbering about 20) for the consideration of the Road Safety Authority. The final decision regarding the bus shelters will be taken in a week.


The National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC), PWD, Traffic Police, Corporation and Keltron have been given instructions to conduct a joint survey on the implementation of man-operated traffic signals in the city. The task of synchronising the timings of automated traffic signals in the city has been entrusted to Keltron.



The Mayor Adv. K Chandrika, the City Police Commissioner Manoj Abraham, the NATPAC Director B G Sreedevi, the N H Division Exec. Engineer. K Rosamma, the Corporation Exec. Engineer. K S Jayachandrakumar, the City Traffic Police Circle Inspector Sudhakaran Pillai and the City Traffic Sub Inspector R Suresh all participated in the meeting. This was the last meeting attended by District Collector Dinesh Arora who was transferred to Alappuzha on Friday.
Source : Yentha.com

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:28 AM
150 Low-Floor Buses To Be Launched

Trivandrum: “150 new low-floor buses will be launched in the city under the JNNURM project,” announced V S Sivakumar, minister for Transport. He said that out of the 150 buses 30 will be air conditioned. While most of these buses will be used within the city, a few of them will be utilised for conducting services outside the city. He also said that new services will be scheduled from the proposed site of KSRTC bus terminal at Enchackal.

“Studies conducted recently indicate that city dwellers prefer AC low-floor to the ordinary low-floor buses,” said the minister. He also said that AC buses are more profitable when compared with the ordinary low-floor buses. He also said that to make KSRTC profitable, parallel services have to be stopped and quick action will be taken to curb this.



AC low floor buses were launched in November 2009 by the then Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, turning a new leaf in urban transport system. Each of the low-floor air-conditioned sleek and ergonomically designed buses, procured at a cost of Rs.80 lakhs with financial assistance from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, have several unique features and have changed to some extent public expectation of local public transportation

These buses also provide facilities for charging mobile phones and laptops, computer-aided onboard diagnostic system for drivers to figure out engine faults, electronically controlled rear view mirror, public address system for drivers to communicate with commuters, GPS-enabled facility to announce and display route/destination are some of the features of these buses.
Source : Yentha.com

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:29 AM
LWHkRCWQUOk

:cheers: :worship:

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:30 AM
QR0Rguyx9nY
:banana::cheers::banana:

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:31 AM
The State Horticulture Mission-Kerala and the Mango Growers' Association are jointly organising a national mango festival on the Kanakakkunnu grounds from June 16 to 26.

The exhibition is an attempt to bring together mango varieties from across the country and help promote mango farming in the State in a big way by giving new insights to farmers.

Several local varieties of mangoes, such as Neelam, Varikka, Kalapady, Sindooram, and Chandrakaran, and those grown in other parts of the country, such as Jahangir, Daseri, Salem, and Banglora, to name a few, will be on show at the festival.

Saplings for sale

Mango saplings will be available for sale. The exhibition aims at giving more information to farmers regarding the marketing potential of mangoes and the available market infrastructure. Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan will inaugurate the mango festival.
Source : The Hindu

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:32 AM
The city police have said that drivers of public transport buses, both private and State-owned, which overtake other vehicles on congested urban thoroughfares will be prosecuted.

City Police Commissioner Manoj Abraham said here on Tuesday that the move was to ensure the safety of other road-users, mainly two-wheeler riders and pedestrians. The new norm would apply to drivers of cargo vehicles too.

The police would prepare a “black list” of buses and drivers, which habitually break speed limits and intimidate other motorists by trying to outrace them on busy roads.

The police would prepare a list of routes where competition between stage carriers was intense. Law enforcers would use speed detection radars and video surveillance to book errant bus drivers.

The dangerous competition was perhaps most apparent at crowded bus stops. Private bus drivers scarcely followed the queue system at roadside stops.

The bus coming from behind often raced to park in front of its “rival.” With commuters spilling over to the road at most stops, the “racing” became a traffic safety concern, the police said.

According to the police, there are more than 100 private buses operating in the city. They said the competition between bus owners for the daily collection was so intense that stage carrier operators were known to pay incentives to ‘fast' drivers who outraced other buses to collect the most number of passengers on a trip. Bus owners paid extra to drivers who made the most number of trips on the route allotted to them.

A private bus operator said that rising fuel prices and refusal on the part of the government to permit a reflective hike in ticket rates had forced them to look at such methods to make their business profitable. With educational institutions re-opening, most of the commuters were students who travelled on concessional ticket rates, he said.
Source : The Hindu

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:33 AM
Bajaj, the leading Indian motorcycle brand, has even opened an exclusive showroom, named Bajaj Pro Biking, in the city which features only premium bikes, finding the capital city to be a big market for them. Bikes below a displacement of 220 cc do not have a place in this showroom. Their flagship product being the Pulsar 220F, which is also nicknamed the Fastest Indian bike, offering a maximum speed of 144 km/hour. Also available in the showroom is the international model Kawasaki Ninja 250R with a top speed of 196 km/hour at a whopping onroad price of ` 3 lakh.

‘’Already our Pulsar models are being sold like hot cakes. But the Ninja has become the top favourite among the riders since its launch early this year,’’ says a sales executive of Bajaj Pro Biking showroom, according to whom, over fifty pieces of the bike have already been sold within months, regardless of the hefty price tag it comes with.

The Pro Biking showroom is the only one of its kind in the entire State. The choice of their selection of the city, shunning Kochi, is a testimony to the rage for speed among the city youth. Now, the showroom is awaiting the arrival of another advanced model, Ninja 650 R, that has already been unveiled in the country.
The other brands are also not far behind. Japanese brand Honda too has launched its own premium bike in the form of Honda CBR 250, which too has succeeded in wooing the adrenaline junkies, despite an ex-showroom price of ` 1.6 lakh.
According to a showroom executive of Hilton Yamaha, it was the launch of its premium models Yamaha FZ and R15 which enabled them to rise from the lull the company had been forced into after the winding up of their evergreen model RX 100.

‘’Even though equipped with an engine of lower displacement of 150 cc, the FZ and R15 are capable of giving other high power bikes a run for their money,’’ he says.
Not to be left out are other Indian brands like Hero Honda (Karizma 225 cc) and TVS (Apache 180 RTR) who also churn out their own premium bikes out of their factories in order to meet the needs of high-flying bikers.
Meanwhile, as all the motorcycle brands are laughing their way to the bank with the flourishing sale of their premium models, the same thing has become a matter of concern for the authorities, especially the police.
Source : Expressbuzz

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:35 AM
Shashi Tharoor, MP, on Tuesday met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways C.P. Joshi to press for early completion of the National Highway (NH) 47 bypass from Kovalam to Kaliyikavila.

Mr. Tharoor stressed the need for completing the long-pending project. He said the project had been envisaged as far back in 1974 and that the people whose land was to be acquired for the project could not be made to wait any longer for the compensation. Mr. Joshi said the matter would be accorded top priority.The proposal for a combined bypass for NH 47 starting from the entry point in the city at Kazhakuttam and rejoining it at the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border at Kaliyikavila had been taken up by the National Highway Authority of India many years ago and one part of the stretch, from Kazhakuttam to Kovalam Junction, was completed about 10 years ago. But the subsequent work on the Kovalam-Kaliyikavila stretch got bogged down due to various reasons.

An official pressnote quoting the MP said land acquisition was not a hurdle for the project as the survey work on the alignment had been completed and the people to be affected had only wanted the compensation to be awarded quickly.

The project, initially named the ‘Thiruvananthapuram- Neyyatinkara Combined Bypass' envisaged 4/6 laning of the 43 km stretch between Kazhakuttam and Kaliyikavila under the NHDP Phase-III package. The construction of the bypass from Kazhakuttam to Kovalam Junction, a length of 22.6 km, had been completed about 10 years back. The proposal involves construction of a new highway from the Kovalam Junction up to the Kerala border at Kaliyikavila. Land was acquired for the bypass alignment from Kovalam to Kottukal to a width of 45 m.

The remaining length of the alignment passes through eight villages, namely Venkulam, Kanjiramkulam, Puthenkada, Tirupuram, Puzhikunnu, Pottayilkada, Vaduvarakonam, and Ayira, and the survey of the alignment was completed almost 10 years back.

However, the actual acquisition proceedings (except for a short 5 km stretch from Kovalam Juntion to Vizhinjam village) had not been undertaken for this stretch.

Mr. Tharoor said the local population who incidentally had no objection to the acquisition were put to difficulty due to the delay in awarding compensation after the acquisition process ground to a halt. He told the Minister that it was essential from a humanitarian point of view to complete the process swiftly and enable them to relocate and get on with their lives.

Mr. Tharoor said there would be no hitch in taking up the widening of the 22.60 km Kazhakuttam- Kovalam stretch to a four-lane road since the land acquisition on both sides of the road had already been completed. The remaining stretch of the bypass up to the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border (Kaliyikavila) would require the acquisition of 70 hectares (175 acres) of land. An approximate amount of Rs.350 crore would be required to acquire land from Kottukal village to Kaliyikavila. The project will require construction of five underpasses and five overpasses at the junctions of crossroads with the main carriage way, along with major and minor bridges.
Source : The Hindu

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:35 AM
Technopark to sign MoU with HFZA, Sharjah
Thiruvananthapuram: Technopark is preparing to collaborate with the Hamariyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA), Sharjah, for mutual development and promotion.

A strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed here on Thursday to formalise the tie-up. Minister for IT and Industries P.K. Kunhalikutty and Rashid Al Leem, Director, HFZA, are scheduled to attend the signing ceremony.

The association between Technopark and the Hamariyah Free Zone Authority seeks to strengthen ties and promote the growth of IT and other industries in both the States.

The two partners will strive to facilitate better interactions and exchange of delegations at the industry level as well as share business opportunities, technical expertise, training, and development. The MoU also provides opportunities for Technopark firms to utilise the Middle East market to reach out across the globe.“The collaboration is part of Technopark's effort to establish and strengthen relations with other countries and provide a conducive environment for overseas companies to set up shop, thrive and grow in business. The MoU is a fruition of our efforts in this direction. It was in February 2011 that a high-level delegation from HFZA led by Dr. Rashid had come to Technopark and they were extremely impressed by what we were offering and further discussions led to the decision to share the best practices of both States for mutual benefit,” said Mervin Alexander, CEO, Technopark.
Source : The Hindu Businessline

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:36 AM
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Source : Kerala Kaumudi

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:37 AM
4OzM3OTUudc

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:38 AM
A three-member committee, headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), has been constituted to identify spots for constructing bus shelters in the capital as per the Indian Road Congress (IRC) specifications. The Project Director of Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Limited (TRDCL) and a representative of the City Corporation will also be part of the committee.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) that was held here on Wednesday. At the meeting, City Police Commissioner Manoj Abraham highlighted the paucity of scientifically designed bus shelters in the city.

Henceforth, designs of all bus shelters will be discussed by TRDCL and approved by the RSA. “The decision of the RSA will be final. Permission need not be taken from any other agency,” District Collector and Chairman of the RSA Dinesh Arora toldThe Hindu.

Of the 26 bus shelters sanctioned by the City Corporation on build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis to a contractor, only six have been constructed. The meeting also agreed to the suggestion of the Corporation Secretary and the Police Commissioner that the bus shelter built at Kowdiar Square by the TRDCL, under the ongoing City Road Improvement Project (CRIP), be duplicated in other places in the capital.

The TRDCL is awaiting permission for another 20 bus shelters. Ninety-five bus shelters are required in the 42-km stretch where the CRIP project is taken up.

The meeting also decided to commence pre-paid autorickshaw/taxi stands in more places in the city, since many autorickshaw drivers fleece passengers using fake meters. The District Collector will issue sanction in his capacity as Chairman of Hospital Development Society to install prepaid auto/taxi systems at Medical College Junction. Pre-paid taxi stands managed by Traffic Police will soon function at Pettah and General Hospital Junctions.

Unscientific traffic signals put up in the city by various agencies came up for discussion in the meeting. The Police Commissioner said solar-powered automatic traffic signals were creating problems during peak hours and emergency situations.

The Kerala Road Fund Board was asked to explore the feasibility of installing manual override facility along with the present computer-aided traffic signals. It was also decided that traffic signals in the city should be synchronised for smooth flow of traffic.

Traffic to airport

The RSA approved the designs suggested by the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) to ensure smooth flow of traffic near the entrance to the New International Terminal Building of the airport. The DCP (Law and Order) will hold meetings with the director of the airport and authorities of the nearby Ananthapuri Hospital before putting up a concrete proposal to the RSA.

It was decided that the RSA should be convened at least once a month to discuss traffic-related issues in the capital. The Mayor, Corporation Secretary, and the district panchayat president have been made special invitees in the RSA for better coordination and quick implementation.
Source : The Hindu

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:39 AM
THIRUVANANTHPURAM: All arrangements are in place for IT blue chip Oracle to open its operations in Kerala at the Technopark campus here.a top official said.

It would be a soft opening, Technopark official M. Vasudevan said.

"To start with, they have taken space at our Park Centre which can seat around 100. Initially they are going to train their new staff here and by the end of the year they will be moving into their own new space at the Leela Infotech campus here. By that time, the seating strength will be above 500," Vasudevan told IANS.

Headquartered in Redwood Shores, California, Oracle Corporation specializes in developing and marketing enterprise software products - particularly database management systems.

Oracle worldwide currently employs more than 100,000 professionals.

Oracle has taken up 36,000 square feet in the Leela Infotech campus situated in the Technopark campus for nine years, besides also reserving two floors.

Leela Infotech has built up IT space at the Technopark and Kochi Infopark campus and has now become the single largest private infrastructure builder with over 1.7 million square feet of space.

The Technopark campus has more than 200 companies that employ more than 30,000 professionals.
Source : Times of India

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:42 AM
Kerala IT and Government of Finland are looking at forging strong partnership and collaborations to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in Kerala and Finland. The decision was a result of the bilateral discussions held by Technopark CFO and Technopark-TBI Secretary & Registrar K C C Nair with Indian Ambassador to Finland Aladiyan Manickam during his visit to Finland.

K C Chandrasekharan Nair represented Kerala IT in the 4th Global Forum on Innovation & Technology Entrepreneurship organised by the Government of Finland and InfoDev (World Bank) held during May 28 to June 3 at Helsinki, Finland.

The aim of the meeting was to identify various opportunities for Finnish companies to start their shops in Kerala through the Finn-partnership programme.

‘’Technopark has extended invitation to the Finnish Government, Nokia Corporation and the Indian Embassy at Helsinki to visit Kerala for further talks on finalising the ways and means for partnership in IT and Telecom business areas,” said Technopark CEO, Mervin Alexander.

K C C Nair also held fruitful discussions with global incubation managers on how to raise the level of Technopark’s incubation initiatives to global standards. He also visited Sweden and Estonia for studying the various incubation models along with the Government of India, Department of Science & Technology officials and ISBA officials.
Source : Expressbuzz

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:43 AM
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For More Details http://natana.in/events-list

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:44 AM
Demand for Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (TCS)’s outsourcing services is so robust the information- technology company hired 70,000 workers last fiscal year and plans to add a further 60,000 this year.

Tata Consultancy projects annual sales, which have quadrupled since 2005 to $8.4 billion, will increase 20 percent a year for the “foreseeable future.” That has it and Indian rivals Infosys Technologies Ltd. (INFO) and Wipro Ltd. (WPRO) hustling to find hundreds of thousands of qualified candidates as global IT purchases grow 7.1 percent this year to $1.7 trillion. ...

‘There is a Limit’

Wipro, India’s third-largest software exporter, started a program to improve the quality of engineering education at rural colleges. That includes videotaping teachers in the classroom and critiquing their methods, said Nagarjuna Sadineni, the program’s general manager.

Bangalore-based Wipro also set up a four-year academy to teach students from other disciplines, including business and the arts, how to be software engineers, said Saurabh Govil, senior vice president for human resources.

“The biggest challenge for the industry is going to be talent,” Govil said. “It is not only for Wipro, but for the larger good of the industry that we’re working on this one.”

Infosys opened a training center in Mysore with 698 faculty members and capacity for 14,000 new hires, according to its annual report for the 2011 fiscal year. The company spends $184 million a year on training.

Tata Consultancy increased spending on recruitment and training by 91 percent last year to $47 million and is expanding its footprint in Trivandrum, near India’s southern tip. Its Peepul Park center can train a few thousand people, and plans are under way to build another facility nearby to handle 10,000 new hires.

Even as the IT industry booms, companies say they recognize the potential for hiring binges to hamper quality and flexibility. Firms are talking more about finding revenue streams that don’t depend on headcount, such as intellectual property and cloud-computing platforms.

“There is a limit to the number of people you can continuously keep on adding, making it a huge organization to manage and deal with,” Mukherjee said. “This can’t be a long- term kind of a model.”
Source : Bloomberg

MINUS
Jun 15, 2011, 5:47 AM
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Image Courtesy : Moncy

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:06 AM
Some snaps from atop the Heera Infocity

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Courtesy : vjfile

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:07 AM
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Courtesy : vjfile

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:21 AM
Skyline Domain
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Courtesy : vjfile

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:32 AM
SFS Cyber Palms
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Source : vjfile

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:34 AM
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South India's 1st Video & Audio Forensic facility to be established at Forensic Science Laboratory in Trivandrum.
This will enable the Investigation agencies to avoid the delay in the verification of such Investigations which involved with fake audio & video including some sting operations.
Now these agencies in Kerala are depending on the facilities located at Chandigarh & Ahmedabad.

Source : Kerala Kaumudi

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:36 AM
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/4751/surveil1.jpghttp://img193.imageshack.us/img193/3317/surveil2.jpg
Source : Metro Manorama by Malayala Manorama

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:37 AM
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Source : Metro Manorama

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:39 AM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Oracle, an information technology (IT) major, has started operations at Technopark here. Though the company has leased 40,000 sq.ft of space at Leela Infopark inside the Technpark campus, the operations began from a temporary office. Fifty personnel the company recruited through campus interviews have joined the office for training. T. Balakrishnan, Additional Chief Secretary, IT and Industries, visited the office on Thursday.

Oracle, which currently employs about 28,000 IT professionals in India, has a big presence in Bangalore. Thiruvananthapuram is its first venture outside a metro. The IT major has the potential to generate huge employment depending on its level of operations. This, in turn, will depend on the availability of quality manpower, a press note here said. In his interaction with the Oracle team, Mr. Balakrishnan said, “Oracle's arrival is a great boost for the IT landscape in Kerala and will help the State be globally visible as one of the most favoured IT destinations in India.”

It was in April that Oracle signed a tripartite agreement with Technopark and Leela Infopark to lease space.
“Oracle's decision to set up shop in Technopark is a reward for the investment the Kerala government has been making in the IT sector and our pro-industry IT policy. We extend our complete support to ensure that the company enjoys its stint in Kerala,” the press note quoted Mervin Alexander, Chief Executive Officer, Technopark.

“Our aim now is to get the two other major IT giants, namely IBM and Microsoft, to Kerala which will help the State emerge as the leading IT destination in the country,” he said

Source : The Hindu
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Source : Metro Vaartha

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:40 AM
SFS Cyberpalms

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Skyline Domain

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The cityside view from atop.

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Courtesy : vjfile

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:41 AM
Artech Sanam at Pattoor. G+11 Floors

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Courtesy : Shafi

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:42 AM
Main Overbridge
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View Towards East Fort
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Main Entrance
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Courtesy : Xeno Axe

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:43 AM
Artech's JV with Muthoot Pappachan Group

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MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:44 AM
Aakulam Infosys area from Train

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Courtesy : Xeno Axe

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:47 AM
Patriotism will, quite literally, reach new heights in the capital city very soon. A mammoth national flag will flutter day and night atop a flagpole installed near the entrance to the Kanakakkunnu Palace.

The stainless steel flagpole would be more than 65 metres-tall — the tallest in the country, spokesman of the Flag Foundation K.V. Singh told presspersons here on Thursday. The national flag atop the pole would be 72 ft long and 48 ft wide. The flagpole would be illuminated with floodlights during the night. The government has given special permission to allow the flag to remain hoisted round the clock, Mr. Singh said. The flag, weighing 27 kg, will be fashioned from knitted polyester.

The project to erect such flagpoles in different parts of the country draws inspiration from the initiatives of Naveen Jindal, MP, to make the national flag more accessible to the people, Mr. Singh said. Kerala would be the eighth place in the country to sport such a flagpole. “This flagpole would be as tall as the third storey of the Qutab Minar. It would weigh 12.5 tonnes. At the base, the diameter would be 4.5 ft and at the top it would be 1.5 ft.,” he said.

Though the Foundation had written to the Kerala government six months ago seeking land and the permission to install the flagpole, the permission was granted only four days ago, thanks to the intervention of Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor. Only very few countries, including Malaysia, North Korea, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, are home to such ‘ornamental flagpoles.'

The flagpole would be installed on top of the small hillock between the two gates of the Kanakakkunnu Palace. The structure would be visible from almost all parts of the city. Initially four to five sites were identified as possible sites. The palace was chosen for its vantage location in the city. The pole is expected to be commissioned during Onam. As per the understanding between the government and the Foundation, the District Tourism Promotion Council would be tasked with maintaining the flagpole. The electricity charges for illuminating the structure would be borne by the State government, Mr. Singh said. Dr. Tharoor was present at the press meet.
Source : The Hindu
http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/7361/flagi.jpg
Source : Metro Manorama

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Source : Metro Vaartha

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:48 AM
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Source : Metro Manorama

MINUS
Jun 17, 2011, 9:48 AM
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Source : Malayala Manorama

MINUS
Jun 27, 2011, 5:22 AM
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Source : Malayala Manorama

MINUS
Jun 27, 2011, 5:28 AM
http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/7056/niagra2.jpg

http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/4554/niagra1.jpg


More Details Here (http://vintagedevelopers.com/content/projectDetails&project_id=1&)

MINUS
Jun 27, 2011, 5:50 AM
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MINUS
Jun 27, 2011, 7:55 AM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An official branch of Book Share, the online library of the Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY), a type of digital talking books for the blind, was opened in the city on Friday.

Over 24,000 books are available online for the blind in Kerala through ‘Chakshumathi,’ a charitable organisation working to empower the blind, which organised a workshop ‘Reading without Seeing’ on DAISY.

The first Malayalam DAISY book was also launched on the occasion.

P P Mukundan released ‘Ananthamaya Sneham’, authored by Swami Sukhabodhananda.

The day-long workshop demonstrated the importance of having a uniform book publishing method that could save time in producing print book, Braille books, e-books and audio books. Dipender Manocha, president, Daisy Forum, India, said that DAISY technology would go a long way in empowering blind people.

‘’Now the technology has come to a level affordable for anyone and everyone. Having a fancy, costly device for reading or using an affordable smart device is a decision that has to be taken by the reader. But most of the blind readers are from middle or lower economic sections of the society,’’ he said.

Kerala University Vice-Chancellor A Jayakrishnan inaugurated the workshop. He said that Chakshumathi’s initiative will benefit not just the blind and visually-challenged, but also a large number of other disabled sections who have limitations in reading prints. Prof V K Damodaran, chairman, Chakshumathi, said the organisation aimed to help blind people to become self-confident.
Source : Expressbuzz (http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/daisy-library-opened-in-city/288450.html)

MINUS
Jun 28, 2011, 6:53 AM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vivekananda Express exhibition train, showcasing the life, teachings and works of Swami Vivekananda, will chug into Thiruvananthapuram Central Station on July 3.

The train, flagged off from Howrah on January 12 to commemorate the 150th birth centenary of the saint-philosopher, will be here in the capital city for three days.

A tribute from Indian Railways, this special exhibition train will have air-conditioned coaches with special exhibits such as photographs and write-ups elucidating the life and philosophy of Swami Vivekananda.

The train, intended to spread the saint’s message of religious harmony and universal brotherhood, will be open to public for three days from July 3 to 5.

Born Narendra Nath Dutta, Swami Vivekananda’s childhood, education as well as his travels around the world is chronicled through pictures and articles.

The exhibition tells the story as how, even as a child, Narendra was inclined towards yoga, meditation, spirituality and philosophy. His brief association with the Brahmo Movement too finds mention.

Vivekananda Express Exhibition train will be berthed at Platform Number 1 at Thiruvananthapuram Central Station between 10 am and 5 pm.

he exhibition traces the story of Ramakrishna Mission and how he set up the organisation that now is devoted to spiritual and educational activities around the country.

The association of Vivekananda with Ramakrishna is covered extensively from the time the two met in 1881 to Ramakrishna’s final days.
Source : Expressbuzz (http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/vivekanananda-express-arrives-on-july-3/288667.html)

MINUS
Jun 28, 2011, 6:54 AM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Technopark has set up a helpline to check on the credentials of firms advertising for jobs through various mediums. This decision has come into effect after receiving frequent complaints of companies conducting job interviews assuring employment in Technopark and collecting money promising jobs.

Those who wish to find out about the firms’ credentials can call Abhilash D S, Officer (HR & Admin), Park Centre, Technopark, at 0471-2700222. “Often, many job seekers are not sure if a recruiter is genuine or not. The helpline is meant to help such job seekers,” said Technopark CEO Mervin Alexander.
Source : Expressbuzz (http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/technopark-sets-up-helpline/288660.html)

MINUS
Jun 28, 2011, 6:56 AM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: If you are one of those who loves to binge on chicken dishes, the Kerala State Poultry Development Corporation (KEPCO) has good news for you.

The Corporation, which is on an expansion mode, is all set to open a snack counter selling value-added products of chicken at its poultry complex at Pettah. So very soon, chicken sausages, chicken cutlets, chicken lollipop and marinated chicken - all made from hormone-free chicken - would be available at this counter at rates which would not loosen your purse strings.

The KEPCO restaurant, which had begun operations on a low key note last year, has slowly gained momentum and is now a profit-earning business for the Poultry Corporation. According to KEPCO Managing Director V Sunilkumar, the restaurant is bringing in more than Rs 35,700 a day, which means it is past the days in the cradle.

The second phase of the development of the restaurant has been included in the 100-day programme of the Animal Husbandry Department. It is in this context that the poultry complex is gearing up for new activities. "We are planning to introduce new dishes in our menu. The chicken snack counter would add to the varieties,’’ Sunilkumar said.

In its initial days, the restaurant had big problems finding a chef to perfect its dishes. Though it employs chefs who spread out delicious cuisines now, the restaurant still faces an acute shortage of staff. According to an official, unlike private hotels or major restaurants, KEPCO is not able to provide accommodation to its staff, which might be one reason the Corporation is finding it tough to get good hands.

"The new items which we introduced recently like chicken ‘shawarma’ have become a hit with our customers. So, the new snack centre would largely include items which are now favourites with the chicken-lovers. But our main motto is safe chicken for safe eating habits,’’ Sunilkumar said.

The Corporation has also set up a bio-gas plant at its compound to do away with the waste produced, but in an energy-saving way. The gas produced from this unit could help replace 80 per cent of the work of the LPG cylinder used in the restaurant.

The bio-gas plant would be inaugurated soon.
Source : Expressbuzz (http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/keco-to-open-snack-counter-at-pettah-soon/288666.html)

MINUS
Jun 28, 2011, 6:57 AM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy informed the House on Monday that he would soon convene a meeting to resolve the solid waste management issue at Vilappilsala.

The Chief Minister said that the residents of Vilappilsala had met him and submitted a memorandum detailing their concerns over the waste disposal in the region. They also pointed out the serious health hazards the dumping of waste has been creating in the area.

"I have already spoken to the Mayor in this regard and has decided to convene a meeting of the Corporation officials and the people’s representative to evolve an action plan for ending the crisis,’’ said Chandy.

V Sivankutty from the CPM had raised the issue during the Zero Hour as a supplementary question to the demand made by Therambil Ramakrishnan of the Congress on the need to evolve a uniform statewide scheme for waste disposal.

While replying to this, the Chief Minister said the State Government has decided to constitute a permanent committee under the chairmanship of Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty, who is also holding the charge of Urban Affairs, to evolve an action plan for a uniform scheme for waste disposal.

It was in the last week of December 2010 that the Vilappilsala panchayat council passed a resolution asking the City Corporation to shut down the treatment plant. Though the Corporation held talks with the panchayat once, it ended in failure. In the days that followed, the panchayat showed little enthusiasm in affirming its stand on the issue, which was then taken up by the locals.

However, the UDF panchayat reiterated its anger against the Corporation soon after the UDF Government came to power in the State.

The Janakeeya Samithi and the Vilappil Vikasana Samithi took up the strike thereafter. The Janakeeya Samithi leaders and members are on an indefinite strike at Nedunkuzhy, near Vilappilsala, since January which has now crossed 150 days.

Janakeeya Samithi leader Burhan said that the memorandum they submitted to the Chief Minister sought a permanent solution to the problems of Vilappilsala, a reprieve from the health hazards faced by the local people and a suggestion to decentralise solid waste management in the city.
Source : Expressbuzz (http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/vilappilsala-cm-to-convene-meet/288662.html)

MINUS
Jun 28, 2011, 9:23 AM
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Source : Metro Manorama by Malayala Manorama

MINUS
Jun 28, 2011, 9:30 AM
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Source : Metro Vaartha

MINUS
Jun 28, 2011, 6:42 PM
The New Website of SL Theatres,Trivandrum with Online Booking Facility : http://slcinemas.com

MINUS
Jun 29, 2011, 4:56 AM
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365 days long Soorya Festival to Start on September..The longest duartion of the festival will be at Trivandrum, 111 days and the remaining days at different locations like Chennai,Madurai,Bangalore,Pondicherry,Coimbatore Lucknow,Jabalpur,Ahmedabad,Vadodara,New Delhi,Kolkata,Hyderabad,Cuttack,Bhubaneswar,Pune,Mumbai,Dombivili,Tirunelveli,Thiruchirappalli,Thanjavur,Mookambika,Nagercoil and 30 other villages.

More Details @ www.sooryaindia.com

Source : Metro Vaartha

MINUS
Jun 29, 2011, 8:13 AM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The fabulous Soorya Festival is going places. The festival is becoming a 365-day affair from this year onwards and will be staged in 60 centres across India, in addition to its home town, Thiruvananthapuram.

The 35th edition of the Soorya Festival is scheduled to kickoff in Chennai on September 1. The festival will then travel through Tamil Nadu before coming to Kerala on September 21. The festival will enrich Thiruvananthapuram for 111 days showcasing the best in the fields of arts, music, cinema and theatre.

In Kerala, the 35th edition will feature classical concerts, ghazal nites, film festivals, dance recitals, a Ramayana fest, artists’ workshops, Odissi festival, jugalbandi, story and poetry fests and Kathakali mela. The 111-day Soorya Festival will conclude in Thiruvananthapuram on January 10, 2012.

Soorya also holds the distinction of featuring two artistes renowned in their fields - K J Yesudas and Padma Subramaniam - in all its past 34 editions.

This year, the Soorya festival has a charitable arm as well as it aims to make a substantial difference in the lives of the needy. The festival has tied up with NIMS Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram to perform dialysis on 365 patients at a reduced cost. Further, the SSREE Foundation has initiated ‘Art for Heart’ programme in association with Harvey Heart Hospital in Chennai.

Soorya has been helping destitute artists of traditional art forms for many years now, under a programme called ‘Gurudakshina’, and this year P K Venukuttan Nair will be the recipient of the benefits. Also, the Foundation, along with actor Suresh Gopi, has started ‘Soorya Empowerment’ programme to aid those artistes involved in realistic drama.

Syamaprasad’s film ‘Elektra’ will inaugurate the film section of the festival. This will be the film’s first public screening outside film festivals. Apart from films, the festival also features drama, talks, music concerts, dances, rendezvous with greats from various fields of art, poetry and a dash of traditional art forms.
Source : Expressbuzz (http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/soorya-festival-to-be-a-year-long-affair/288980.html)

MINUS
Jun 29, 2011, 8:15 AM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first of the prepaid auto-taxi stands to be opened by the City Corporation would come up near Medical College. The stand would be functional from August 15. This was decided at a meeting of the Traffic Advisory Committee of the Corporation held the other day.

According to Corporation officials, the prepaid auto taxi stand in Thampanoor has been running successfully for the past few years, prompting them to open new ones on the same model. The new stand would come up near the TRIDA centre in Medical College. The autorickshaws operating from the stand would be selected by the officials, fares to various points from the stand fixed and it would be operational from August 15.

The Corporation’s Traffic Advisory committee has the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Town Planning and Works Standing Committee Chairpersons, Corporation Secretary and Additional Secretary, Assistant Commissioner Traffic, RTO and Union representatives as its members.

Once it becomes functional, more such stands would come up as pre-planned at the General Hospital junction, Pettah railway station premises and Veli railway station.

The traffic advisory committee also discussed the move to implement the ID card project for autorickshaw drivers in the city.

However, it has not been decided on how to go ahead with the project. ‘’There are some hiccups, so we are holding talks with the Police Commissioner next week and then only the project will be started,’’ said Deputy Mayor G Happykumar. The application forms for the drivers would be distributed only after the various steps of the project are finalised.

As of now, the public has no means to complain about the driver to the Traffic officials. However, with the coming of ID cards for auto drivers, the details about the vehicle and the driver would be available with the Police which will enable speedy action on a complaint.
Source : Expressbuzz (http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/prepaid-auto-stand-from-august-15/288986.html)

MINUS
Jun 29, 2011, 8:18 AM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has reportedly cleared the ‘site-specific’ terms of reference (ToR) required for conducting the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Vizhinjam seaport project.

"We have not received any official intimation. But we have been given to understand that the MoEF’s Expert Appraisal Committee which met on June 23 has issued a site-specific ToR for the project,’’ Ports Minister K Babu said on Tuesday. Kerala and State Government firm Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL) were represented by Ports Secretary and then VISL CEO Manoj Joshi at the meeting in New Delhi.

Earlier, the committee had issued a general ‘project-specific’ ToR expressing dissatisfaction with the location for the project selected by the State Government. Then, the committee had asked Kerala to have a re-look at all alternative locations identified for the project. This, in fact, would have delayed the project considerably.

With the State expressing protest, Minister of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh, who visited Thiruvananthapuram recently, had announced that the project would come up at the site selected by the State Government. Now it appears that the MoEF has trashed all the earlier observations made by its own expert committee.

Even when issuing the ‘project-specific’ ToR, the committee had observed that it was only doing so in "public interest.’’ Approval of the ‘site-specific’ ToR would enable the State Government to go ahead with the EIA in earnest.

Title deeds distributed

Babu kept his promise on Tuesday by distributing title deeds to six families who were evicted for constructing a two-km road to the port site.

Shobha, ‘Valiyaveetuvilakam’, Mukkola; Dr Shajikutty, ‘Shahana,’ Mukkola; Appu Nadar, ‘Valiyaveetuvilakathu,’ Mulloor; Krishnan Kutty, ‘Valiyavilakathu,’ Mukkola; Madhu, ‘M S Bhavan,’ Mulloor; and Sagar Gonsalvez, ‘Panchavadi’, Mulloor, were given pattayams for five cents of land each as part of a rehabilitation and resettlement package. For the road, 7.45 hectares of land have been acquired. The evicted were also given Rs 2.90 lakh per cent.
Source : Expressbuzz (http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/vizhinjam-seaport-state-receives-crucial-nod/288985.html)

MINUS
Jun 29, 2011, 8:22 AM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Director Board of Air India on Tuesday set aside the proposal to hand over the ground handling services of Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to a Singapore-based foreign agency.

The proposal was a joint venture between Air India Limited and Singapore Airport Terminal Services for the provision of the ground handling services. But the Director Board which met in New Delhi on Tuesday decided to set aside this idea since no proper study has been done into the implications of such a scheme.

"We will have to check the implications first before accepting this. Hence, the Board has deferred the decision to hand over the ground handling services of Thiruvananthapuram and Mangalore airports to this joint venture,’’ Civil Aviation Director General Bharat Bhushan told this paper.

However, it is interesting to note that even before the Board considering the proposal and accepting the MoU between the two, the General Manager of the Air India Southern Region had, on December 18, 2010, issued a circular to the Airport Director of Thiruvananthapuram stating that, "all Air India flights and its customer airline flights will be handled in a phased manner by us through our joint venture AISATS (Air India - Singapore Airport Terminal Services).’’

Following this letter, another circular was issued by the Senior Vice-President of Air India to the Airport Director here urging him to provide Airport Entry Pass and office space to this joint venture company for its operations.

This letter written on March 24 this year has urged the Airport Director that, ‘’Air India has appointed its joint venture company Air India SATS to provide ground handling services for the above wing functions to the undermentioned customer airlines at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.’’ (This letter has mentioned the names of nine airlines.)

Sources said that the Director Board has taken a serious note of how these circulars were issued even before the Board had cleared the proposal and an MoU between the two partners was signed.

The City Express, on May 31, had brought out the fact that the Air India authorities were trying to hand over the ground handling services of the Thiruvananthapuram Airport to a Singapore-based agency even before getting a clearance.

The staff of Air India Air Transport Services (AIATSL) and Air India Engineering Service Limited, who were handling ground services since 2003, were also asked to report to the new joint venture company.

The AIATSL staff had protested against this move and had approached the Chief Minister and Union Civil Aviation Minister against this move of the Air India authorities.
Source : Expressbuzz (http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/air-india-board-sets-aside-tie-up-move/288981.html)

MINUS
Jun 29, 2011, 8:23 AM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) hopes to complete underground (UG) cabling works on two major stretches in the capital city this financial year, Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed told the Assembly on Tuesday.

UG cabling work on the seven-km Thirumala-Peyad stretch and the 4.5-km Thirumala-Karamana stretch will be completed in the 2011-12 fiscal itself, he said in a written reply. Along both stretches, the power utility is laying 33 KV lines.

The work on the Thirumala-Peyad stretch is being undertaken at a cost of Rs 2.79 crore. The work on the Thirumala-Karamana stretch will cost the KSEB Rs 1.52 crore, the Minister said in reply to a question by V Sivankutty MLA.

The KSEB also hopes to complete laying UG cables along a distance of 15 km from Pothencode to Paruthippara by the 2012-13 financial year, he said. This will cost the KSEB Rs 90 lakh, the Minister said. On this stretch, 110 KV lines are being laid.

UG cables are being laid as part of streamlining power distribution across the capital city.

An old project of the city which had once created much interest - generation of power from sea waves - found a mention in the Assembly on Tuesday, with Kovalam MLA Jameela Prakasam raising the issue. In a written reply, Aryadan Mohammed said that there indeed had been a project implemented by the Chennai-based NIOT. But it was scrapped after the company found it impractical, he said.

Quarries in the district also made a brief appearance in the Assembly on Tuesday.

The Assembly was told in a written reply that ten illegal quarries were shut in the capital. They were either operating on ‘Puramboke’ land or on private land without proper authorisation.

Thiruvananthapuram is placed second along with Alappuzha in the number of quarries banned. Palakkad, which has banned 24 quarries, is in the first position.
Source : Expressbuzz (http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/kseb-plans-underground-cables-for-the-city/288984.html)

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 3:50 PM
Oceanus Bluemount

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MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 3:52 PM
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Image Courtesy : Xeno Axe

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 3:54 PM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The City Corporation has decided to give a facelift to the 150-year-old Connemara market by constructing a modern commercial complex in place of the existing market. The decision was taken in an emergency meeting convened by Mayor K Chandrika on Wednesday afternoon following the fire incident.

The Corporation authorities plan to rehabilitate the existing shops and vendors in the new commercial complex, which will be more organised and will have hygienic conditions. The renovation will be carried out according to a proposal put forward by Infrastructures Kerala Limited (INKEL), a State Government undertaking.

The new commercial complex will come up on the 8.51 acres of land jointly owned by Thiruvananthapuram Development Authority (TRIDA) and City Corporation on which Saphalyam Commercial Complex and Connemara Market are located. In the proposal, INKEL had stated that TRIDA and City Corporation have 85 cents of free land on which a commercial hospitality complex can be developed and another parcel of 75 cents of land on which a rehabilitation block with all facilities can be set up concurrently.

Corporation authorities said that immediate steps will be taken with the help of the State Government to start the work of the commercial complex. Earlier, the previous Corporation Council headed Mayor Jayan Babu had decided to implement the proposal, but had to stall the programme following stiff opposition from a section of roadside vendors, who alleged that those who owned shops in the market would be the only people who would be rehabilitated.

However, in the meeting held on Wednesday, suggestions were put forward to devise a plan to rehabilitate the roadside vendors too in the commercial complex.

The proposed complex comprises a modern marketing block, large parking facility, heritage structures and landscaped green space in order to make the market place a landmark destination in the capital city.

The budget of the project is estimated at over Rs 150 crore.


Expressbuzz (http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/city-corporation-planning-new-commercial-complex/287213.html)

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 3:55 PM
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Source: Metro Manorama by Malayala Manorama

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 3:55 PM
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MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 3:56 PM
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http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/4463/vaiga.jpg

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More Details Here (http://www.vaigagardens.com)

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 3:57 PM
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MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 3:57 PM
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MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 3:58 PM
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MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 3:59 PM
New Josco Showroom getting ready @Pazhavangadi

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Courtesy : shafi

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:00 PM
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G+17 * 3towers at Kazhakootam

Location map

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Courtesy : shafi

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:02 PM
Air show at Shankhumukham Beach by Indian Air Force
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By:ttpallam1 (http://www.panoramio.com/user/852365?with_photo_id=5333214)|From:Panoramio (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/5333214)

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By:ttpallam1 (http://www.panoramio.com/user/852365?with_photo_id=5333214)|From:Panoramio (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/5333200)

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:02 PM
Victoria Jubilee Town Hall
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/1041/2880261.jpg
From:Panoramio (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/2880261)|By:patrique3000 (http://www.panoramio.com/user/588716?with_photo_id=2880261)

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:03 PM
Karamana Bridge
http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/7034/35504554.jpg
By:sabu-mampallil-kottayam (http://www.panoramio.com/user/4193429?with_photo_id=35504554)|From:Panoramio (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/35504554?source=wapi&referrer=www.panoramio.com)

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:04 PM
Centre for Environment & Development
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/8990/36266737.jpg
By:Nadeer (http://www.panoramio.com/user/4560635?with_photo_id=36266737)|From:Panoramio (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/36266737)

Kerala Police Headquarters, Thiruvananthapuram
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/8955/35506183.jpg
By:sabu-mampallil-kottayam (http://www.panoramio.com/user/4193429?with_photo_id=35506183)|From:Panoramio (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/35506183)

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:05 PM
A few projects of note from Maxlab 3D Visualisation Website. Apologies in advance, if these projects were posted before. Shafi, your assistance is required as always for exact location/ details etc :)

MaxLab 3D site (http://maxlaabz.blogspot.com/) (Hosted on Blogger)

Apartment
16 floors

http://i51.tinypic.com/wvr5gy.jpg


Commercial Complexes

Pattom
7 floors
http://i55.tinypic.com/1zgqdld.jpg

Pattom
8+ floors
http://i54.tinypic.com/30hlm2u.jpg

Nalanchira
8 floors
http://i52.tinypic.com/2ynoyew.jpg
Courtesy : scorpiogenius

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:06 PM
http://i56.tinypic.com/rmi9s7.jpg
Courtesy : shafi

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:08 PM
NATPAC’s ‘K Karunakaran Trans Park’ opened


http://yentha.s3.amazonaws.com/contentuploads/4f3e7113_cm-natpac-1.jpg http://yentha.s3.amazonaws.com/contentuploads/736260f4_cm-natpac-2.jpg

Trivandrum: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy inaugurated the newly built campus of the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre at Akkulam on Friday. He said that the interventions of NATPAC and similar organisations are essential in this present day and time when road accidents are increasing day by day.

“NATPAC is expected to conduct research and studies in transportation and road safety. It should ensure that the benefits of the research and studies reach the people they are intended for,” he said.


The Chief Minister also said that the NATPAC’s new campus at Akkulam will be named after former Chief Minister late K Karunakaran. M A Vahid, MLA, presided over the function.


Worshipful Mayor Adv. K Chandrika, District Panchayath President Remani P Nair, Councillor S Suresh Kumar, C T S Nair Executive Vice President, Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment and B G Sridevi, Director, NATPAC attended the function.

NATPAC was established in 1976 as a division of KELTRON. In 1982, NATPAC was reconstituted as an R&D institution under the Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Government of Kerala. The Centre undertakes research and consultancy works in the fields of traffic engineering and transportation planning, highway engineering, public transport system, alternate options for transport system, transport energy, inland water transport, tourism planning and rural roads.
Source : Yentha (http://www.yentha.com/news/view/1/3385)

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:09 PM
http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/7967/1zgqdld.jpg

^^^


http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/623/80922226.jpg

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/5373/14464842.jpg

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/2514/87294145.jpg
Courtesy : vjfile

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:10 PM
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/230/26774983.jpg
Courtesy : vjfile

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:13 PM
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/512/pattomjn.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/9126/sarassss.jpg

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/4386/nikua.jpg

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/2441/nikunj.jpg
Courtesy : vjfile

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:14 PM
bL8lI2d6WPM

WFOqp_mdKAc

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:15 PM
d38vmIMzP7Y

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:15 PM
Trivandrum International School

ANt5JNjLJzI

MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:16 PM
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MINUS
Jul 8, 2011, 4:26 PM
Vd0LCTQBqwU

MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:25 AM
HIoycbbd-mQ

MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:25 AM
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MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:26 AM
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MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:27 AM
GxmNK26veOg

F594UktcFAg

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MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:28 AM
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MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:29 AM
lJGvlr-iZlo

vst4xc7rZeQ

MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:29 AM
Interview visuals of Sri UthradamThirunal by Doordarshan's OnamSpecial program visuals,telecast on Tuesday, August 24, 2010.

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MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:32 AM
g7DQJ-FWEdg

MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:34 AM
http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/5996/4c88e35c2.jpg (http://img842.imageshack.us/i/4c88e35c2.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/5350/4c9056ce8.jpg (http://img535.imageshack.us/i/4c9056ce8.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/7040/7ef6621f6.jpg (http://img69.imageshack.us/i/7ef6621f6.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/4264/33aae6f411.jpg (http://img809.imageshack.us/i/33aae6f411.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/3626/763ac5cd10.jpg (http://img816.imageshack.us/i/763ac5cd10.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/2121/1095f25b5.jpg (http://img709.imageshack.us/i/1095f25b5.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/641/05833f304.jpg (http://img857.imageshack.us/i/05833f304.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

Source: Yentha (http://www.yentha.com/news/view/1/2818#)

MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:35 AM
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MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:36 AM
Ashram's 1st Concert in India. Live at Nishagandhi Open Air Auditorium on 23.04.2011

Lost In Universe

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Kerala

i9K6udCAZ18

MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:36 AM
Soul Jam Performing Live during TTC Day 2011

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MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:37 AM
HE0LywR6uqw

jSvSmfzKfYs

cRfdtT0o374

MINUS
Jul 12, 2011, 6:38 AM
1FyiGuYN9E8

MCn_OBX842U