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New Indian Express
16-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Kondotty Nercha: A festival of harmony amid attempts to divide
MALAPPURAM: 'It's our festival and we celebrate it together.' The words by Ramesan, a resident of Kondotty, aptly sum up the feelings that people of the town in Malappuram attach to Kondotty Nercha. Celebrated in the memory of the late Sufi saint Muhammad Shah, the first Kondotty Thangal, Kondotty Nercha is a festival in which people of all faiths take part. The celebrations, centred around Shah's Mughal-style tomb (Qubba), are returning after a 14-year gap caused by a family dispute over the sthananeeyan (spiritual head). For the residents, its timing could not have been better what with efforts being made from various quarters to create division in society. For them, the Nercha is not just a ritual, but also an agricultural festival with ceremonies held in the fields after harvest, and sale of crops carried out during the week-long celebrations. Moreover, the Nercha is also a confluence of various art forms, such as pooram kali, chavittukali, cheenimuttu and the like. 'In the past, this was also a market for residents to buy household items. In our childhood, our parents would buy things like knives, mats and other items from this market,' said Abdurahman, another Kondotty resident. The Nercha officially commences with the hoisting of a white flag in the town. Later, cannons kept in the AR camp nearby are brought to the Nercha field. The story goes that around 200 years ago, the then local kings, with the support of the Zamorin, fought Muhammad Shah. After losing the war, the Zamorin lost the cannons. These later became part of the Nercha.
Business Recorder
04-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Recorder
DIG traffic suggests more fines for violation of rules
KARACHI: Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Traffic Karachi Pir Muhammad Shah has proposed increasing traffic fines in Karachi from June, aiming to curb violations and improve road safety. The proposal includes fines of Rs. 5,000 for motorcyclists, Rs. 10,000 for cars, Rs. 20,000 for buses, and up to Rs. 25,000 for heavy vehicles. Addressing members of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), Pir Muhammad Shah said that traffic problems cannot be resolved by penalties alone, but through public awareness, effective law enforcement, and cooperation between stakeholders. He further announced a strict proposal of a Rs. 100,000 fine for violation of one-way and wrong-side driving. He said violation of one-way and wrong-side driving is equivalent to attempted murder due to the dangers it poses. He emphasized that such behaviour would be treated as a criminal offence. To improve monitoring, Shah revealed that over 7,000 heavy vehicles in the megacity have already been equipped with GPS trackers, and the installation of four surveillance cameras in each heavy vehicle has been proposed mandatory. These will provide live monitoring of driver behaviour. Fines will be imposed on vehicles without cameras. He also said that traffic accidents are increasing due to overloaded heavy transport. Dumpers designed for 27 tons are carrying up to 80 tons, while trailers meant for 57 tons are hauling 120 tons of goods. This causes brake failures and leads to fatal accidents. The DIG informed that modern laboratories are being set up for drug testing of drivers, where six types of dope tests will be conducted. He also proposed mandatory 30-hour training for new driving license applicants under a new Karachi Driving Institute (KDI) initiative, to be launched in partnership with the private sector. A point-based license system is also being considered, where points will be deducted for each traffic violation. Once a certain limit is reached, the license will be suspended or cancelled, following international models. Shah also announced the introduction of a 'faceless ticketing system' starting next month. The system will initially cover Shahrah-e-Faisal, I I Chundrigar Road, and Saddar. Traffic violations will be detected through CCTV, and e-challans will be sent to vehicle owners. A 50% discount will be offered for payment within 14 days, while late payments will face additional penalties. The DIG pointed out that while the daily challan rate in Karachi is around 4,000, it is 17,000 in Lahore. He said low fines in Sindh contribute to weak law enforcement and greater violations. Speaking earlier, KATI President Junaid Naqi said that increasing traffic congestion in the Korangi Industrial Area is affecting industrial productivity. He cited the rising number of vehicles and ongoing development work on Jam Sadiq Bridge, Qayyumabad Flyover, and the Causeway as key issues. He said KATI is working with authorities to spread awareness about traffic laws and improve compliance. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
05-03-2025
- Express Tribune
Iftar traffic jams negate tall claims of police
Unlike the tradition of yore, office workers in the metropolis rarely get to enjoy Iftar at home with family. Commuters stuck on the dug-up University Road are waiting for the siren to announce the end of the fast in the slow moving traffic. Photo: Jalal Qureshi/express Like his predecessors, the new DIG Traffic, Pir Muhammad Shah, has also failed to alleviate the suffering of citizens due to severe traffic jams before iftar. The indifference and lack of interest of the traffic cops on Rashid Minhas Road has forced citizens to endure the worst traffic jam. Long queues of vehicles were seen on the track from Millennium Mall to Nipa Flyover, while the driver of an Edhi ambulance was also helpless, repeatedly blowing the emergency siren. Citizens stuck in the worst traffic jam said that senior traffic police officers only make claims about controlling traffic through statements, but the ground realities are different. "It's already 6pm, and looking at the long queues of vehicles, it seems like we will have to break our fast on the road," said a commuter. Citizens have to endure a torturous journey every day due to the worst traffic jam, but the claims of traffic police officers about smooth traffic flow remain unchanged. At the start of Ramazan, traffic police made loud claims about maintaining traffic flow, but to what extent they have been successful can be gauged by looking at the long queues of vehicles on Rashid Minhas Road before iftar. On Tuesday evening, long queues of vehicles were also seen on Sharea Faisal at the Drig Road underpass, severely affecting traffic flow. Similarly, vehicles were stuck in traffic jams on the Korangi Causeway track.
