General Discussions

[sunilananda]

Originally Posted by BabuCS

The bottom line is lack of professionalism among law enforcement officials. Hope things will improve as the city grows both commercially and intellectually.

It requires a professional city management team to bring up the levels of urban management to the desired level,without any political bias and a vigilant citizenery.Can we hope for that in the near future?

[jadugar1984]

does anybody knw the exact location of adidas showroom in trivandrum?

[Ajaypp]

Originally Posted by jadugar1984

does anybody knw the exact location of adidas showroom in trivandrum?

It is located on the road from the Corporation Junction to Nanthencode.

[sudheeshnairs]

So what is the showroom along the one way from Plamoodu to PMG on the right side as you drive up? I thought it is Adidas.

I had also doubt regarding the row of shops at Press Road, behind secretariat.

[scorpiogenius]

yeah Sudheesh, you' re right. Adidas showroom is located in Plamoodu- PMG oneway. The one Ajay mentioning is the Nike exclusive showroom, I think.

The showroom on Press Road is not the exclusive Adidas showroom, but also deals with Fila, Nike and the likes. It would be a whole lot better, wouldn't it, if all these exclusive footwear showrooms were located in one area or street, instead of being all over the place...Even the locals have no clue where the exclusive showrooms are located, and some have chosen strange locations like the Plamoodu -PMG Road. I guess with almost all dealers now branching out to the Pattom- Kesavadasapuram road this problem will be solved.

[shafi]

Originally Posted by scorpiogenius

yeah Sudheesh, you' re right. Adidas showroom is located in Plamoodu- PMG oneway. The one Ajay mentioning is the Nike exclusive showroom, I think.

The showroom on Press Road is not the exclusive Adidas showroom, but also deals with Fila, Nike and the likes. It would be a whole lot better, wouldn't it, if all these exclusive footwear showrooms were located in one area or street, instead of being all over the place...Even the locals have no clue where the exclusive showrooms are located, and some have chosen strange locations like the Plamoodu -PMG Road. I guess with almost all dealers now branching out to the Pattom- Kesavadasapuram road this problem will be solved.

Sorry Sudheesh and Scorpio,... What Ajay told is absolutely right. Adidas is in Between corporation Jn and Nanthancode owned by one of the Kerala Renji Player Anandapadmanabhan.

The one in Plamoodu - PMG Jn is the exclusive showroom for Reebok owned by a Kollam native

The one shop which deals with Nike, Dockers and Levis is the Urban Tribes at Annas Arcade at Spencer Jn, owned by the Oberon group which runs, Oberon Furniture mart at Killippalam, Pizza Corner at Annas Arcade, Mall O at Kochin and so on. He is the native of Trivandrum only

Last but not the least the Puma shop has come up in Kumarapuram.

I think, things are more clear now.

[MonkeyBrains]

The Adidas exclusive showroom at Nanthancode has very few selections but has excellant shoes.

The Reebok Shop in the one way is much better, has more selections and offers, though they they don't match Adidas in terms of quality.

But, I feel the best is Big Bazaar Kesavadasapuram which has a much bigger collection of Nike, Adidas, Reebok and many other brands, has comparatively cheaper prizes.

[ajithv]

Source : Kerala Kaumudi

[sunilananda]

Originally Posted by jaleelmalik

The solution for the flood issue at the Pazhavangady/Thampanoor/East Fort area is very easy & simple. This problem can be solved, if we have few poweful pumpsets. But our greedy politicians and the PWD Engineers are making the things happen as hell for the common man. They need to make this opportunity of Thampanoor floods - a "gold laying duck". If the problem is solved by installing few pumpsets, how can they mint money year after year on account of "flood waters", "war foot basis" etc etc.

I was the Senior Landscape Engineer of the Palm Jumeirah. During my tenure, twice my team had to face the problem of flooding (due to sudden rains) in this man made island where more than 3500 high profile families are living. We solved the problem by pumping the water to sea over night. With the help of few pumps, the entire water could be eliminated without even our resident customers knowing about the hazard. By the time, the press men came, there was not even a trace of proof of flooding.

Instead of pouring crores of rupees to the flood waters every year, let the Coporation or KWA buy powerful pumpsets & use them at times of crisis.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/17/stor...1758620300.htm
Dear members,
Is it a money down the drain project like the crores that has been spent till date?....

[BabuCS]

It is indeed difficult to locate shops for speciality products in TVM. Can someone start a new thread that will highlight popular shops for branded items such as shoes, cloths etc. We can also compile a list of good restaurants in the city .. that will be valuable info for visitors to the city. TRIBIZ guys can scrutinize the list (may be they can have a first hand experience of the restaurant and rate them) and recommend them in their website as well.

I had lot of trouble finding a suitable restaurant near Thampannoor area ... but after a futile search, I ended up at the spiral Indian Coffee House near the bus station!!

[jaleelmalik]

Originally Posted by sunilananda

http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/17/stor...1758620300.htm
Dear members,
Is it a money down the drain project like the crores that has been spent till date?....

Veendum Vellathil Kalakkan Kurae koadikal koody.

Vishu Varum, Oanam varum, kaalavarsham veedum varum.
Koranu Kanji Kumbili thanneyaakum.
Thampanoorile Vellappookavum avasaanikkilla.

[jaleelmalik]

Originally Posted by BabuCS

It is indeed difficult to locate shops for speciality products in TVM. Can someone start a new thread that will highlight popular shops for branded items such as shoes, cloths etc. We can also compile a list of good restaurants in the city .. that will be valuable info for visitors to the city. TRIBIZ guys can scrutinize the list (may be they can have a first hand experience of the restaurant and rate them) and recommend them in their website as well.

I had lot of trouble finding a suitable restaurant near Thampannoor area ... but after a futile search, I ended up at the spiral Indian Coffee House near the bus station!!

There are many Restaurants on the Maanjalikkulam Road & also near the Aristo Junction.

[sunilananda]

Originally Posted by jaleelmalik

Veendum Vellathil Kalakkan Kurae koadikal koody.

Vishu Varum, Oanama varum, kaalavarsham veedum varum.
Koranu Kanji Kumbili thanneyaakum.
Thampanoorile Vellappookavum avasaanikkilla.

It seems as if the project managers have placed the blame of the flooding of the pazhavangadi area solely on the Aamaizhanchaan canal .Did
the planners do a hydrological study to assess the waterflow pattern in this area?The flooding seems to be a backflow problem caused by a reservoir elsewhere down stream that is fed by many streams.Draining away that excess water seems to be the only solution for the problem.Gravitational flow is not feasible because of the topography of this area.The only solution is a mechanical dewatering of the area.
And a project of this magnitude ,under the present circumstances will take atleast 2 to 3 years to be completed.The citizenery of that area will have to suffer for that many years or more.If we can get access to the hydrological study of the pazhavangadi thampanoor area by any chance ,we can find a suitable and cost effective solution at least before the next rains create a flooding in this area.This is an appeal to all the members of this forum to provide an input for resolving a long standing issue.Please cooperate in this initiative.

[jaleelmalik]

Originally Posted by sunilananda

It seems as if the project managers have placed the blame of the flooding of the pazhavangadi area solely on the Aamaizhanchaan canal .Did
the planners do a hydrological study to assess the waterflow pattern in this area?The flooding seems to be a backflow problem caused by a reservoir elsewhere down stream that is fed by many streams.Draining away that excess water seems to be the only solution for the problem.Gravitational flow is not feasible because of the topography of this area.The only solution is a mechanical dewatering of the area.
And a project of this magnitude ,under the present circumstances will take atleast 2 to 3 years to be completed.The citizenery of that area will have to suffer for that many years or more.If we can get access to the hydrological study of the pazhavangadi thampanoor area by any chance ,we can find a suitable and cost effective solution at least before the next rains create a flooding in this area.This is an appeal to all the members of this forum to provide an input for resolving a long standing issue.Please cooperate in this initiative.

Appreciate if somebody could approach a leading Pumpset dealer in Trivandrum and assess the number of High Capacity Pumpsets those can be purchased at the cost of Rs.410 Million and workout the flood water that can be pumped out as per the total discharge of these pumpsets. I bet, only a very few High Capacity Pumps would be required.

Who will be able to convince the people & the planners?
Or all our people corrupt?

[Tri Man]

Originally Posted by jaleelmalik

Appreciate if somebody could approach a leading Pumpset dealer in Trivandrum and assess the number of High Capacity Pumpsets those can be purchased at the cost of Rs.410 Million and workout the flood water that can be pumped out as per the total discharge of these pumpsets. I bet, only a very few High Capacity Pumps would be required.

Who will be able to convince the people & the planners?
Or all our people corrupt?

Dear Jaleel,
The pumping cost and annual maintenance cost of the pumps is would be very high.
Gravitational flow is quite possible in this region.The area didn't have such flooding 15-20 years back.There is some change event which is causing the flood.
If some retired engineer of the British Era or retired Lecturer of CET gets involved,perhaps they may be able to solve the problem permanently.

[jaleelmalik]

Originally Posted by Tri Man

Dear Jaleel,
The pumping cost and annual maintenance cost of the pumps is would be very high.
Gravitational flow is quite possible in this region.The area didn't have such flooding 15-20 years back.There is some change event which is causing the flood.
If some retired engineer of the British Era or retired Lecturer of CET gets involved,perhaps they may be able to solve the problem permanently.

Triman, I am not telling about Pumpsets to be installed permanently.
Just think about portable (high capacity) pumpsets, to be used in case of emergency only. (If I tell about a pump station, our PWD Engineers will make a big estimate toi make a huge buildign to house these pumpsets !!!) Kindly see my ealrier postings on how we did make the Palm Jumeirah free of flood waters in a few hours, without even being noticed by our Customers.
And don't make the KPWD or the City Corporation buy these pumpsets. Let the work be outsourced to competent professional contractors.

I am a Landscape Engineer with competence in Irrigation & Water Management, worked / operating in Elite sea side residential communities (at Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah and the Red Sea coast) where flooding by sea water is a threat. The "flood" in Thampanoor is not at all a problem compared to the tasks those are being handled by me everyday.

Because of the "Engineering Skills" of our PWD Engineers, the flooding intensity increased after the authorities increased the road level at Thampanoor. Also, it is not at all a question of knowledge. Everybody knows everything; but the thing is that the "flood shoudl recur; then only our Engineers & Politicians can make money.

[sunilananda]

Originally Posted by jaleelmalik

Triman, I am not telling about Pumpsets to be installed permanently.
Just think about portable (high capacity) pumpsets, to be used in case of emergency only. (If I tell about a pump station, our PWD Engineers will make a big estimate toi make a huge buildign to house these pumpsets !!!) Kindly see my ealrier postings on how we did make the Palm Jumeirah free of flood waters in a few hours, without even being noticed by our Customers.
And don't make the KPWD or the City Corporation buy these pumpsets. Let the work be outsourced to competent professional contractors.

I am a Landscape Engineer with competence in Irrigation & Water Management, worked / operating in Elite sea side residential communities (at Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah and the Red Sea coast) where flooding by sea water is a threat. The "flood" in Thampanoor is not at all a problem compared to the tasks those are being handled by me everyday.

Because of the "Engineering Skills" of our PWD Engineers, the flooding intensity increased after the authorities increased the road level at Thampanoor. Also, it is not at all a question of knowledge. Everybody knows everything; but the thing is that the "flood shoudl recur; then only our Engineers & Politicians can make money.

Jaleel,will it be possible to get the storm water discharge rate into the said areas at a given point of time in a worst case scenario.If we have a figure with us ,we can come up with a alternate working plan and place it in public domain for preview and assesment.We can also rope in a NGO to do the needful like collection of data. It is high time the Government "stopped Working' and let an alternative work.

[Ajaypp]

- Gentlemen, the Govt. had conducted extensive public consultations about the project. The same had been reported on this forum and the media. Perhaps, your suggestions may have been of better use then and not now.

The project being implemented now has been designed after extensive discussion and study by competent agenices including external experts. So, let's give it a chance before condemning it.

Thirdly, please do not forget that Trivandrum has grown ten times or more since the "British/Travancore" era. So that ghost of a British engineer or a revitalised retired lecturer may not even recognise the city. Plans have to change with the times, so do people.

Fourthly, Trivandrum is not Dubai or China where one can evict thousands of people without notice or throw billions of tons of sand to build castles in the sea. This is a democracy, like it or not, and things are slower here. But in the long run, they probably are better off.

And finally, if we had a little help and interest from the massive diaspora of our State, things would have improved a long while ago. Except for a few businessmen here and there who bring in some investment, the biggest contribution seen from expat mallus elsewhere in India and the world is to complain the loudest about their home state.

In any gathering, the person complaining the loudest about Kerala's "trade unions" would be a mallu. How often do you see a Gujarathi or Bihari belittling their own states? Perhaps, we are all too smart for our good. Literacy has given rise to the urge to complain than to be constructive.

It is up to us to change and appreciate our beautiful state. And then to do something positive for it. Small bits perhaps, but with 15 million expats out there, that is a hell of a lot of small bits. Maybe then the politicians and bureaucrats will wake up.

[AKS Nair]

@ Ajay, Good level headed opinion, keeping in view the actual realities existing here - yet trying to build on the rays of hope. Keep it up Ajay.

[Ajaypp]

- Thanks AKS. What we need right now are pragmatic solutions which can be implemented within the constraints of the existing system. Else, we will end up waiting forever for the perfect fix.