The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : `Late lateef' stumps them all

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 09, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

`Late lateef' stumps them all

LADIES AND gentlemen, the show will start any moment now. Hold your breath, as Shekhar Suman is about to come on the stage. This was what an anchor went on repeating before the much touted Shekhar Suman live show began at Shilpakala Vedika recently.

While the audience were allowed to enter the auditorium an hour behind the scheduled timing, the anchor went on announcing the arrival of Shekhar `any moment'. Perhaps, he never realised that he was repeating the same sentence for over half-an-hour. It happens like this only in laidback Hyderabad. An apologetic Shekhar Suman finally walked in waxing eloquent about Hyderabadi late lateefs! What cheek!

* * *

DONT'T WORRY, we'll help you out, this is not a filmy dialogue, but a typical consoling sentence uttered by any and every leader visiting the residents of Bachupalli whose houses were demolished a fortnight ago by revenue authorities.

While locals maintain that they have "legally bought the plots", revenue officials have announced that the land belongs to the Government. After the demolition, everyday one leader or the other, this official or that Minister has been visiting the place and reassuring the victims of help.

But, nothing concrete has emerged from their visits for the hapless displaced persons. However, what is beyond one's comprehension is that why have the officials taken so long to demolish the structures on Government land and why do they wait till people build houses? Any answers?

* * *

THE UPROAR over the compulsory use of helmets is continuing. And just when the city traffic police was going in full steam, for the first time in several years without any lethargy, politicians, playing into the hands of greedy helmet dealers and those who detest the idea of wearing the headgear, have almost spoilt the party.

Well, the policemen and their Transport Department colleagues maintain that they have not given up. The counselling will continue and in a couple of months, challaning of those who zoom around with helmets will also begin. Yes, they admit, there might have been a few unsavoury instances, which were reported as harassment, but then, if one was wearing the helmet, those could have been avoided. And if they had not waited till the last minute, the complaint of `no stocks' could also have been avoided, giving the helmet dealers no chance to make some quick cash.

"It is not for our personal safety that we are insisting on helmets. All those who protest the use of helmets should first remember that it is for their own good that we are doing it," reminds an official.

Right. Whose head is it anyway?

* * *

YET ANOTHER giant mall, the City Central at Punjagutta crossroads has opened to huge response. It is a tempting option for people to combine shopping and recreation with the seamless shops, multiplexes and restaurants, all under one roof.

But it is certainly a horrendous challenge for the traffic police to regulate and ensure smooth flow of traffic in the area. The parking area provided at the venue has turned out to be inadequate, particularly on week-ends and with vehicles taking every available space on by-lanes and road margins of Punjagutta cross roads, known for highest density of traffic at any given time.

Now the onus is on the mall management itself how they would make the shopping a hassle-free experience for their esteemed customers. "Eat, shop and celebrate," they say. But can they also assure that customers would not have to groan, grumble before they find a slot to park their vehicles and get on to the business of shopping and celebrating?

By Vikram Sharma, Marri Ramu, Dennis Marcus Mathew and M.L.Melly Maitreyi

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`Late lateef' stumps them all