E-Paper
PMC serves notices to 70 mandals, takes down 26 pandals
According to PMC anti-encroachment department head Madhav Jagtap, though the Ganesh Festival is over, many mandals in the city are yet to remove the pandals which are obstructing traffic on busy roads
PUNE:
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has initiated action against pandals of the Ganesh mandals that still remain on various streets even as the Ganesh festival has ended, eating into space for commuting. The civic authorities till Tuesday evening removed 26 pandals and issued notices to 70 mandals, officials from the civic administration said.
According to PMC anti-encroachment department head Madhav Jagtap, though the Ganesh Festival is over, many mandals in the city are yet to remove the pandals which are obstructing traffic on busy roads.
“Now the PMC on its own has removed the 26 pandals in the city and action will continue in the coming days if mandals do not act.”
Jagtap said, “PMC has been issuing notices to various mandals and asking them to remove the pandals immediately and clear the roads. The pandals were built up on streets by many mandals and took up one-third of the road width. Even though Ganeshotsav is over, this has caused traffic congestion in several areas.”
Residents in several areas have complained that pandals and vehicles used as chariots during immersion processions are still on the road, causing significant disturbance to the general public.
“In our area, the workers of a prominent mandal are yet to remove the pandal, and the trolley used as a chariot is also parked on the road, obstructing the flow of traffic,” said Saili Deshpande, a resident of Kasba Peth
Lokesh Gavai, a Ganesh mandal worker from the Sahakarnagar area said, “Our mandal used to remove the pandal immediately after the festival. However, the pandal contractor has set up pandals in various places and promised to remove them within the next one or two days.”
Another Ganesh Mandal’s president on the condition of anonymity said, “We are aware that our pandal is obstructing traffic, but there is a Navratri festival coming up in a few days. Our mandal will keep the pandal as it is till the Navratri festival to save money.”
For the past few years, it has been a common practice by many mandals that they do not remove the pandals immediately and keep them till the Navratri festival to avoid the expense of the pandals.
A shop owner from the Peth area, who did not wish to be named said, “The Ganesh pandal is in front of my shop and the workers used to keep it until Navratri. It is harming my business, but I can’t say anything since the mandal office bearers might cause trouble later. “
PMC officer Jagtap further said, “Along with pandals, we are enforcing to remove the flexes and banners put around the pandals.”
