Karnataka govt gives administrative approval for constructing automated driving test track in Puttur
Puttur: The Karnataka government has granted administrative approval for the construction of an Automated Driving Test System (ADTS) track under the Puttur regional transport office in Dakshina Kannada district.
The project, estimated to cost Rs 7.88 crore, will be built on 5.4 acres of land in Mundoor village, located around 10 km from Puttur town, as reported by The Hindu on Wednesday.
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Bengaluru, will oversee the construction of the ADTS track, designed for two-wheelers and light motor vehicles. This facility is expected to streamline the process for driving licence applicants in Puttur, Belthangady, Sullia, Kadaba taluks, and Vittla hobli.
Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai hailed the government’s decision, noting that this will be the second ADTS track in the district, with the first one located at Mudipu near Mangaluru. Rai further emphasised that the new ADTS would significantly boost economic activity in the region, as it would cater to a larger population of aspiring drivers, added the report.
Rai mentioned that the 2024-25 State Budget had proposed to establish ADTS tracks in several locations, including Udupi, Chikkaballapura, Nelamangala, Madikeri, Madhugiri, and Hunsur, along with seizing yards at Devanahalli and Tumakuru. However, the land designated for the Udupi track was classified as a deemed forest, preventing the Transport Department from acquiring it for non-forestry purposes.
Thus, Rai approached the Transport Department with a proposal to establish the ADTS in Puttur, instead of Udupi. The MLA visited Mundoor village to identify suitable land to establish the track.
The upcoming ADTS complex in Puttur will include test tracks for light motor vehicles (LMVs) and two-wheelers, an administrative block, a toilet, a control room, and necessary infrastructure such as compound walls, water and power supply, and landscaping, the report noted.
Rai further expressed hope that construction would begin soon, now that the project has received administrative approval.
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'Modi will never succeed in suppressing voice of Tamil people': Rahul on 'Jana Nayagan' row
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that the Centre's "attempt to block" Vijay-starrer "Jana Nayagan" is an attack on Tamil culture, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will never succeed in "suppressing the voice of the Tamil people".
Gandhi's remarks come on a day he is on a visit to poll-bound Tamil Nadu where the row over actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamil film has snowballed into a major issue.
The producer of the film approached the Supreme Court, challenging a January 9 interim order of the Madras High Court that stayed a single-judge direction to grant the CBFC clearance to the movie.
The Madras High Court has left the fate of the film, which has drawn attention for its political overtones, in limbo.
In a post on X, Gandhi said, "The I&B Ministry's attempt to block 'Jana Nayagan' is an attack on Tamil culture."
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"Mr Modi, you will never succeed in suppressing the voice of the Tamil people," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.
KVN Productions LLP has filed an appeal against the order passed by a division bench of the high court.
Vijay recently launched his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). "Jana Nayagan", which is widely publicised as Vijay's final film before his full-fledged entry into politics, was slated for a Pongal release on January 9.
However, the film ran into last-minute hurdles after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) did not issue certification in time.
On January 9, the division bench's order came hours after Justice PT Asha directed the CBFC to give clearance to "Jana Nayagan", setting aside the film board's directive to refer the matter to a review committee.
The first bench, comprising Chief Justice M M Shrivastava and G Arul Murugan, on an appeal filed by the CBFC, granted an interim stay against the single judge's verdict.
Earlier, allowing the plea of KVN Productions seeking a direction to CBFC to issue a censor certificate, Justice Asha said once the board had decided to grant the certificate, the chairperson had no power to send the matter to the review committee.
The film board immediately preferred an appeal against the order.
Additional Solicitor General ARL Sundaresan and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared through video conferencing, outlined the grounds for the appeal before the division bench.
The January 6 letter of CBFC, which was communicated to the producer of the film, informing him that the matter was referred to the revising committee, was not at all under challenge. But the single judge set aside the letter and gave the above direction.
In its order, the division bench said the petition was filed on January 6, and the CBFC was not granted sufficient opportunity to file its reply.
There shall be a stay, the bench added and ordered notice to the producer of the movie and posted the matter to January 21.
