N. S. Srinivasan, a respected and well-known expert in roads, road research, road transport and road safety circles died at his Warren Road residence in the city early on Tuesday. He was the founder director of National Transportation Planning and Research Centre, Thiruvananthapuram. He was 89 and is survived by two daughters and a grandson. His wife, Vijaya Srinivasan, pre-deceased him last November, said Sukanya Srinivasan, one of his daughters. The last rites were performed on Tuesday.
Born in Nallur to N. Somasundaram, a Congressman, Mr. Srinivasan did his Bachelor of Engineering in Civil and Highway Engineering from Madras University and obtained his Ph.D. from Technische Hochschule, Braunschweig. He served as Head of Traffic and Transportation Division of the Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi for 13 years when he researched many traffic and transportation problems.
His contribution for improving the traffic and transport systems in Delhi earned for him the name as the man who brought order to Delhi’s roads. He also prepared comprehensive transportation plans for Delhi, Bangalore and a few other cities. He prepared the basic document for the United Nations ESCAP project on “Transport and Communications decade 1985 – 1994 for ESCAP countries”.
He also served at Anna University as a visiting professor in Transportation Engineering from 1990 to 2002. After retirement he started the Transport Advisory Forum in 1992 and was also involved in the planning of mini flyovers in the city.
Some of the awards that he received, include the President of India’s Prize of the Institution of Engineers (India), Nadirshah Award of the Institute of Road Transport, Award of Automobile Associations of India, Indian Roads Congress Medal, Institute Road Traffic Education National Award, Life time achievement Award of Indian Roads and Transport Development Association, Award of the Government of Kerala in 2004 and 2012.
