Myths n Reality or simply a hogwash

Current issue about Mr gurunath Meyyappan's involvement in betting match fixing, makes me ask these questions

BCCI members are fully backing me (when they can’t legally get rid of him, what else they can do)

Stadium is sold out (People love cricket, they came to enjoy cricket but very clearly expressed themselves by ‘Booing’ when Mr. Srinivasan’s name was announced)

We have a governing council to monitor IPL (This same body was watching like spectators when Lalit Modi ran it and even after that there is no stance of opposing anything which is supposed to be opposed- like Appointing MSD as the VP of India Cements, which is an indirect additional remuneration than the price they should be paying him US$1.8million part of the player retention in 2011)

Governing council should have come out with a statement that Gurunath Meyappan is not a owner, but it is BCCI president who makes the announcement that there will be an independent investigation.

If the GC is genuine they have to take a stand whether Guru is the owner or not, when they have been communicating with him as a owner, why do we need a separate investigation.

If Guru is not an owner why not they put out the 2013 pass issued to him, all of us will know whether he is a owner or not or what capacity pass was issued to him.

Does India cements a publically owned company can send just a cricket enthusiast to go and bid on their behalf, if they have sent him, can they clarify on what capacity they have sent him to bid for players. Ultimately it is the shareholders money.

What is the role of a Honorary member in the management of the team, will India Cements clarify

Can GC of IPL clarify whether honorary members of a management team are allowed access to the team dugout. Just to clarify this why do we need an investigation agency/Committee.

Retired Judges are above board (former CJI KGB is under a cloud, there are instances of Magistrates being arrested for accepting bribes, like in ‘Gali Bail case’)

Sunil Gavaskar says “people have already concluded and any report contrary to their conclusion will not be accepted prima facie”, fair enough, it is wrong to pre-judge, however why not bring out material facts in open and be transparent instead of appointing a investigation commission, which is 3 member with two people from GC and submits a report to the GC/BCCI.

We know that Pass No.1 to 4 have been given to four members of N. Srinivasan family in 2008 saying they are all team owners of CSK, similarly passes must have been issued every year, let it be told now  (Let Caesar’s wife be above suspicion) instead of saying investigation commission, they can show us 2013 passes.

If Guru is not a owner why did India cements keep quiet when he was claiming he was the CEO/Owner/Team Principal (or how can you question the Son-in-law)

Betting/Fixing whatever may be the finding, Morality of a person involved deeply with a team, which has millions of fans/followers, has he not played with their sentiments, can any team which allows such things to happen be allowed to continue to play in the league. May be Chennai deserves a cleaner owner and a team that will make it proud.

Toll Roads n our troubles

We are now a toll paying nation to use the roads and NHAI is doing its bit to make our road journey's as comfortable or uncomfortable as possible. However it is observed that some of the toll roads in spite of the exorbitant toll we pay gives us a bad ride.

One such Toll road is the NH5 also known as AH45 from Chennai to Kolkata, however in this lengthy road there is a stretch which is under BOOT build own operate and transfer between Tada & Nellore. This is managed by a company called Swarna Tollway Limited.

road repair work being carried out

Alleged damage done by the Nilam Cyclone

While this road has been laid by 2002 one of the early birds in the AB Vajpayee's Golden Quadrilateral program, for the early part it has been maintained well or the quality of road laying was better, i don't know. From the time the NHAI has stipulated this stretch for 6 lane expansion we notice no work has started in that direction, though the Chennai - Tada and Nellore - Kavali stretches have already seen some work happening, and quality of the road has also deteriorated, meaning no maintenance has been taken up.

Look at the patch up job, it needs re-laying

More Post repair images

When a friend of mine complained to the NHAI about the quality of the road, he got a reply informing him that due to the recent Nilam cyclone the road got damaged and patch up work is happening. Mail was almost condescending the concessionary. Few days after the mail was received by friend i was travelling on that road and shot the road with my phone as the car was on the move.

Post repair images

From the video you can see the image jumping which is indicating the condition of the road as the car was travelling on a particular stretch. Wonder why the NHAI officials who have allowed the concessionary a 30 year period to milch the revenue from that road are practically defending it by putting the blame on a cyclone, the condition of the road has nothing to do with cyclone but the unstable soil in a particular stretch. The road was laid without considering the soil condition and now the road is sinking in that stretch and the concessionary would like to take as much time as he can take to delay the maintainance works.

A crater filled up and being rolled by

an ancient roller

Will he keep quiet if he is barred from collecting the toll, but as road users we have no choice but to suffer the ride. NHAI which is the custodian of the national highways would prefer to turn a blind eye but allow regular increase in the toll charges irrespective of the condition of the road, wonder who is getting benefited in the process?

Images were supplied by the NHAI engineers along with an explanatory letter blaming the entire damage on 'Nilam' cyclone, in fact my friend had complained that patch up works are not being carriedout as per the norms of the NHAI and we see the supervisors getting the job done in their own august presence, what more evidence is required for complicity.

Interestingly for a stretch of 53.60 kilometers the toll when it was started was Rs.60-00 collected in three locations and today it is Rs.105-00 a jump of 75% from 2003 to 2012 when only 10% is the increase for every 2 years is allowed. Primarily on rounding of the toll itself huge benefit is derived and more over the normal concessional multi entry charge is also not allowed on this stretch.