Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday greeted people on the occasion of Onam, saying the nation stands with Kerala in their times of adversity, in the aftermath of floods.

"May this Onam give further strength to the people of Kerala to overcome the adversities they have been facing for the past few days. The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with Kerala and prays for the happiness as well as prosperity of its citizens," the Prime Minister tweeted.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi also urged people of the country to unite and stand together to rebuild Kerala.

"This is a difficult time for the people of Kerala. In relief camps & homes across the state, people are grieving for their loved ones. On this Onam let us pledge to put aside our differences, stand united together and focus on the task of #RebuildingKerala," Gandhi said in a tweet.

BJP President Amit Shah assured the people of Kerala that their government and the Centre is doing everything to ensure that they start their normal life soon.

"On the auspicious occasion of Onam, we pray to the almighty that Kerala gets back on its feet soonest... Entire nation stands firmly with the people of Kerala in these trying times. Modi government at the Centre and BJP is doing everything possible to ensure that people's lives return to normalcy at the earliest," Shah tweeted.

Ever since monsoon rains began lashing Kerala on May 29, a total of 417 people have died. This month, unprecedented floods caused widespread destruction and forced more than a million people to flee their homes to take shelter in relief centres.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said 8.69 lakh people are still sheltered in 2,787 camps.

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New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi government will soon implement amended Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, making the traffic challan process completely digital and time-bound, to curb violations and enhance road safety, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Sunday.

Under the new framework, avoiding challans will no longer be possible and timely resolution will be mandatory for all citizens. Importantly, violators will not be able to approach courts directly to contest a challan without first going through the prescribed process, said a Delhi CMO statement.

Anyone committing five or more traffic violations within a year will be classified as a "serious offender" and will risk suspension or disqualification of their driving licence under the amended rules, it said.

Gupta noted that the issuance of challans will now be fully modernised.

Police or authorised officers can issue challans either physically or electronically. In addition, violations captured through cameras and digital surveillance systems will automatically generate challans. The e-challans will be delivered within three days to the violators through their mobile numbers, and a physical notice will be delivered within 15 days.

Once a challan is issued, the violator will have 45 days to either pay the fine or challenge it before a grievance redressal officer through the online portal, supported by documentary evidence. If no action is taken within this period, the challan will be deemed accepted, and payment must be made within the next 30 days, the statement said.

If a challenge is rejected, the individual can either pay the fine within 30 days or approach the court after depositing 50 per cent of the challan amount.

Failure to act within the stipulated time will result in the challan being treated as accepted, with payment required within 15 days thereafter.

Payments can be made through electronic modes. The grievance redressal officer will be required to upload a decision on the portal within 30 days, it said.

The chief minister made it clear that once deadlines lapse, daily electronic notices will be issued. Continued non-payment will lead to restrictions on all vehicle-related services, including payment of taxes and processing of driving licence or registration-related requests.

The vehicle will be flagged on the official portal as 'not to be transacted,' effectively blocking any further transactions until the dues are cleared. In cases where necessary, and subject to court orders, police or authorised officers may also impound vehicles involved in violations.

All challans will be issued in the name of the registered vehicle owner, who will be notified via SMS, email or other digital means, it added.