Letters to The Editor — July 10, 2025
The tragedy at a railway level crossing near Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu is symbolic of the Indian way of defying rules and regulations. I am now in the United States and in a neighbourhood that is very close to a railway track. I find no gatekeeper and no barrier rods but only a traffic signal-like warning. Yet, citizens dutifully stop their vehicles and wait for the green signal before proceeding. People here are aware that one stands no chance before a mighty railway engine.
Some time ago, I had an opportunity to interact with the loco pilot of the Deccan Queen train, from Pune to Mumbai. He was cruising well over 90 kmph and on reaching Ambernath slowed down, well aware that this was the point in the journey where pedestrians begin crossing the railway tracks. Hence, a reduction in speed was essential.
For loco pilots of the Rajdhani express, Vande Bharat, and of course the futuristic bullet train, they will remain in fear of irresponsible and daredevil 'track crossers'.
Subramaniam Sankaran,
San Carlos Pl, Fremont, CA, U.S.
While conflicting versions are being circulated about the accident, serious questions arise. How many more non-interlocked railway crossings across the country are there? Why does it take a tragedy for safety improvements? The upgradation of non-interlocked crossings to automated systems and strict enforcement of safety protocols in railways must be ensured.
R. Sivakumar,
Chennai
When the Indian Railways is spending crores of rupees in adding more trains to generate revenue, why is it counting its pennies when it comes to safety measures?
Murali Mohan P.V.,
Chennai
Self nomination
It is shocking that we have a set of world leaders who keep hailing one another as 'great and mighty' and suitable recipients for the Peace Nobel. Giving the coveted prize to a person who has not done even the bare minimum to stop a painful war would be most terrible.
Layona Maria,
Varappuzha, Kerala
Grass court calendar
In Wimbledon, with different winners in eight years in the women's field, unpredictability has become the norm. This diversity highlights the depth of the women's game but also suggests a gap in surface-specific mastery. The grass season remains too short for players to develop meaningful consistency. Administrators must consider an expanded grass-court calendar to reward adaptation and produce champions who can dominate, not just survive.
Nagarajamani M.V.,
Hyderabad
'Qualifying date'
In the article, 'The ECI does not have unfettered powers' (Opinion page, July 9), there appears to be an incorrect detail — that the 'qualifying date' can be only January 1. Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, referred to in the article, was amended in the year 2021. As in the amendment, with effect from 2022, the 'qualifying date' means 'the 1st of' January, April, July or October of the year in which the electoral roll is prepared or revised.
Rangarajan R.,
Chennai
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Lone Air India crash survivor seeks psychiatric help to overcome trauma
Many would think of him as one of the luckiest people alive in the world. But for Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the June 12 Air India plane crash, it has been a struggle to get over the monumental is now getting a psychiatrist's help to find a way of coping with the traumatic experience, his cousin the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner came down seconds after the take-off from the Ahmedabad airport, 40-year-old Vishwas, an Indian-origin British citizen, was the only passenger who walked away alive. His brother Ajay was amongst the 241 others onboard who perished, along with 19 people on the ground. The memories of the scenes of the crash site, his miraculous escape and his brother's death still hound Vishwas, said his cousin Sunny."Many people, including our relatives living abroad, call us to enquire about Vishwas's well-being. But he does not talk to anyone. He is yet to overcome the mental trauma of the crash and the death of his brother.""He still wakes up in the middle of the night and finds it difficult to fall asleep again. We took him to a psychiatrist two days ago to find a remedy. He has not made any plans yet to return to London because his treatment has just begun," Sunny was discharged from the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital on June 17. On the same day, the mortal remains of his brother Ajay were handed over to the family after a DNA and Ajay were returning to London by Air India flight after visiting their family in Diu, a part of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and a video which surfaced on social media, he can be seen carrying his brother's mortal remains on his shoulders to the cremation ground in Diu on June 18.A day after the crash, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Vishwas at the hospital and enquired about his an interview with Doordarshan, Vishwas recounted that the aircraft seemed to have stalled within seconds of taking seat, 11A, was close to the emergency door on the left side, he said."Luckily, the portion of the plane where I was seated fell on the ground floor of the (medical college) hostel premises after the plane crash-landed. When I saw that the door was broken, I told myself that I could try and get out. Eventually, I came out," he told a viral video shot by a local person minutes after the crash, Kumar can be seen walking towards an ambulance, away from the debris. To walk away from the haunting memories would perhaps be more difficult.- EndsMust Watch
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Russian woman, daughters found living in Karnataka cave, rescued by cops
A Russian woman and her two daughters were found and rescued from a secluded cave in Karnataka's rugged Ramatirtha Hills. The rescue operation was carried out on Wednesday by the Gokarna police during a routine patrol focused on tourist safety in the Kutina, 40, and her daughters Prema, 6, and Ama, 4, were discovered living in a cave in a remote and landslide-prone area of the forest by Circle Inspector Sridhar SR and his team. The police escorted all the three down the hill and relocated them to an ashram in Bankikodla village, under the care of 80-year-old spiritual leader Swami Yogaratna woman, deeply drawn to Indian spiritual traditions, had arrived in India on a business visa and made her way from Goa to the sacred coastal town of Gokarna, reportedly inspired by Hindu philosophy and a quest for spiritual awakening. She had been living in complete isolation inside a natural cave for nearly two weeks, accompanied only by her daughters. The family had set up a modest living space within the cave, surrounded by dense forest and steep slopes. Inside, the woman had installed a Rudra idol and spent her days in worship and monitoring the area following a recent landslide, the police noticed clothes hanging out to dry near the cave and decided to investigate further. Navigating through the thick underbrush, they discovered the woman and her children living quietly Kannada Superintendent of Police M Narayana said, 'Our patrolling team noticed sarees and other clothes drying outside a cave in the Ramatirtha Hills. When they reached the spot, they found Kutina and her two daughters residing there.''It was surprising how the family managed to survive in the wilderness. Fortunately, they were unharmed during their stay,' he who claimed to have come to India on a business visa, initially failed to produce valid travel documentation. She said her passport and visa may have been lost in the forest. A subsequent search by the Gokarna Police and the Forest Department led to the recovery of the revealed that Kutina had entered India on a business visa on October 18, 2016, which expired on April 17, 2017. An exit permit was issued by the FRRO Panaji on April 19, 2018, after which she reportedly travelled to Nepal and re-entered India on September 8, to safety concerns, the woman and her daughters were transferred to the Government Women's Shelter in Karwar, under the Department of Women and Child Welfare, the police said in a press Superintendent of Police, Uttara Kannada, has initiated proceedings with the Foreigners' Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Bengaluru, regarding the visa violations. With assistance from a local NGO, the Russian Embassy has been contacted, and repatriation formalities are underway to ensure the safe return of her and her children.- Ends
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Appointment letters given to 93 candidates at Rozgar Mela in Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram: As many as 93 candidates received appointment letters as part of 16th National Level Rozgar Mela organised by Southern Railway in Thiruvananthapuram. These included postings in Indian Railways, Isro, VSSC, CRPF, Union Bank of India, EPFO, Central Water Commission and IIM Kozhikode. Among them, 54 candidates received jobs in railways. The event was part of a nationwide initiative, where over 51,000 appointment letters were distributed through Rozgar Melas organised by Indian Railways at 47 locations across the country. Divisional railway manager of Thiruvananthapuram Manish Thaplyal said, "It is a moment of pride to witness young individuals stepping into public service, especially in departments like railways, which touch millions of lives daily."
