PMC to give five-year permission to put up pandals

Municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar has promised to give five-year permission to put up pandals during the 10-day Ganesh festival and waive off the fees for the same

Municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar has promised to give five-year permission to put up pandals during the 10-day Ganesh festival and waive off the fees for the same. Currently, mandals apply for permission to put up pandals every year.

PMC meeting with Ganesh mandals on Monday. (HT PHOTO)

Officials of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) held a meeting with members of Ganesh mandals at its headquarters on Monday. All the prominent mandals were present for the meeting.

Representatives raised various issues in the meeting. They said, “Metro work is in progress, which would create more traffic during the festive time. At least during festival time, the work should be halted.” Various issues like barricading the roads, advertisement, pandal erection and electric connection were discussed during the meeting.

Some mandals demanded to announce the dates for playing loudspeakers till midnight as promised by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Shinde had recently announced five days’ permission instead of the usual four days for mandals to use loudspeakers till midnight during Ganpati festival.

Kumar said, “The district collector has the power to announce the dates for playing loudspeakers till midnight. We would help mandals to get it done. We would call a separate meeting for better coordination in metro work during the festival.”