Former DK DC Sasikant Senthil is Congress candidate from Tiruvallur
Chennai: Former IAS officer Sasikanth Senthil, renowned for his strategic prowess in crafting election campaigns for the Congress party in Karnataka and Rajasthan, has embarked on a new endeavor in his home state of Tamil Nadu. Senthil, who resigned from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 2019 while serving as the deputy commissioner in the sensitive Dakshin Karnataka region, has been announced as the Congress party candidate for the Tiruvallur Parliamentary constituency in Tamil Nadu.
A member of the 2009 Karnataka cadre, Senthil has garnered attention for his vocal opposition to the Narendra Modi-led BJP government and its Hindutva agenda. He gained prominence for his adept handling of the election strategy during the previous Assembly polls in Karnataka, where he contributed to the successful campaigns of Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar.
Now, Senthil will apply his expertise to his own political campaign in the semi-urban Tiruvallur constituency, gearing up for the Lok Sabha polls scheduled for April 19.
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New trains to ease crowding on Namma Metro Purple-Green lines in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Commuters on the crowded Namma Metro Purple and Green lines may soon get relief, as the Railway Board has issued provisional sanction for induction of new train sets, Deccan Herald reported.
The Railway Board communicated the provisional sanction to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) in a letter on April 1, raising hopes that additional trains could be deployed during peak hours by May-June.
According to the Railway Board, the approval comes with conditions, including a maximum speed of 80 kmph in fully inflated mode and 25 kmph in deflated mode of the secondary air spring.
The BMRCL will also need a separate sanction from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) by submitting the Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) report confirming the trains’ integration, operation, and compatibility with the Direct To Go (DTG) signalling and train control system for the Purple and Green lines.
The BMRCL has received three DTG trains, including a prototype delivered in January 2025, for the Purple and Green lines. The trains must pass 37 statutory clearances before entering passenger service.
The BMRCL had approached the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), under the Ministry of Railways, to conduct statutory trials related to oscillation, braking, speed and system integration tests for the trains. The CMRS will issue the final sanction after receiving the ISA certificate.
Officials said the ISA certification process is already underway, with new signalling software currently being tested. Final approvals are expected by May-June, after which the trains can be introduced into service.
The new trains have been supplied by China's CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co Ltd, which will deliver a total of 21 trains for the Purple and Green lines in partnership with the West Bengal-based Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd (TRSL). Currently, the network operates with 57 trains supplied by BEML.
