Lakshman Singh appointed as K-RIDE MD
Bengaluru (PTI): The Centre on Thursday approved the deputation of Lakshman Singh, Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE), to the post of Managing Director of Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Ltd (K-RIDE).
K-RIDE is presently undertaking the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP) – the work that is going on at a snail’s pace in the absence of a technocrat to head the organisation, sources said.
"The appointment comes after several years of demand for a technocrat for the post since the job involves high technical expertise," a source said.
Currently serving as Chief General Manager (Civil) at Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL), Singh will assume the new role on deputation terms, retaining his parent pay plus deputation allowance.
The appointment is for a period of three years starting from the date Singh takes charge or until further orders, whichever comes first, the order said.
His total deputation tenure will be calculated from his initial deputation date with BMRCL, it said.
The Railway Ministry has requested BMRCL to relieve Singh for this assignment and to inform the date of his relief.
According to sources, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya pursued the matter with the Railway Board that an expert in the domain is appointed as the MD.
While laying the foundation stone for the BSRP on June 20, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the project would be completed in 40 months. The project should have been completed by the end of December, but it has not made any headway till now.
Karnataka Infrastructure Development Minister M B Patil had also set a deadline of December 2027.
"Given the pace of work, it is highly unlikely that it will ever be possible. Now that we have a technocrat as MD, we feel that the work would gain momentum," a government officer said.
The project has seen many hiccups. An IAS officer Vasanthi Amar B V, who served as Special Deputy Commissioner at K-RIDE, was raided by the Karnataka Lokayukta on July 23. She was responsible for the land acquisition for BSRP.
Due to inordinate delay in the land acquisition, the project had come to a grinding halt.
The project hit another roadblock when the Indian multinational conglomerate Larsen and Toubro (L&T) terminated two contracts for Corridor-2 and Corridor-4 of the BSRP on July 31.
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Former India hockey coach Michael Nobbs dies
Melbourne (PTI): Former Australian hockey player Michael Nobbs, who coached the Indian men's team at the 2012 London Olympics, has died after a prolonged illness.
He was 72 years old and is survived by his wife Lee Capes, a former Australian women's international and daughter Kaitlin, who is a current Hockeyroos star.
"Hockey Australia extends its deepest condolences to Michael’s family, friends, former teammates, players and all those whose lives and careers were shaped by his contribution to hockey. He will be remembered as a proud Kookaburra, a respected professional, and a servant of the sport," Hockey Australia said in a statement.
Nobbs represented Australia as a defender, playing across the half-back line and at fullback, and was renowned for his reliability, fitness and professionalism. He earned 76 international caps for Australia between 1979 and 1985, scoring one goal, and was a member of one of the strongest eras in Australian men’s hockey, said Hockey Australia on its website in its tribute.
Nobbs was an integral part of the Australian teams that competed at the 1981 Hockey World Cup in Bombay and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
While part of a generation widely regarded as one of Australia’s finest, he consistently held his place through hard work, discipline and trust earned from teammates and coaches, Hockey Australia wrote.
Nobbs took over the coaching of the Indian men's team in 2011 after it had failed to qualify for the Beijing Games in 2008. While India were brilliant in the qualifiers, the team finished last at the London extravaganza which also expedited the Australian coach's sacking.
Apart from India, Nobbs also coached Japan.
