E-Paper
‘Don’t occupy roads’: Pune police to Ganpati mandals
According to Supreme Court directives, mandaps erected for Ganeshotsav or any other religious activity, should not occupy more than one-third of the road to avoid traffic congestion
The Pune police have asked Ganpati mandals in the city to not violate the norms, laid down by the civic body and police authorities, related to safe conduct of the public festival.
There are currently 3,332 mandals registered with the police and some of them were fined last year for violation of noise-related norms and encroaching public space.
Officials said that mandals have been specifically instructed that they must not occupy roads and make judicious use of the available space, so that commuters, senior citizens, patients and children are not inconvenienced during the festival.
In 2018, police had booked 155 Ganpati mandals on the day of the immersion procession for violating noise-related norms. The police along with the Pune Municipal Corporation’s anti-encroachment department acted against 30 mandals for illegally erecting mandaps in the city last year.
According to Supreme Court directives, mandaps erected for Ganeshotsav or any other religious activity, should not occupy more than one-third of the road to avoid traffic congestion. Mandaps occupying over 70 per cent of the road space were reported by alert citizens to the authorities in the past.
Action was taken by the then Mundhwa police station incharge Anil Pathrudkar along with PMC’s anti-encroachment department officials and Mundhwa police station officials, wherein they razed an illegal mandap for allegedly encroaching on over 60 per cent of the road width in Ghorpadigaon. The mandap was removed and a first information report (FIR) was registered against the Ganpati mandal president and executive president. Similar actions were taken against erring mandals in Hadapsar by the then police station incharge Sunil Tambe.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (special branch) Mahesh Ghatte, said, “We have issued a stern warning to the Ganpati mandals to follow the law and will ensure that there is no traffic congestion on the roads. Necessary directions have been issued for the smooth conduct of the festival.”
The PMC’s anti-encroachment squad, responsible for taking action against erring mandals, has been accused of turning a blind eye towards the violations due to political pressure.
Earlier, Pune police commissioner K Venkatesham also issued directions to the mandals to ensure that they adhere to the laid down procedures of the police and the civic body.
