The Bombay High Court has made it clear that there is a dire need to put a stop to potholes being created on the road by the pandals of Ganeshotsav and Navratri festival. The administration should strictly deal with the troupes that violate the rules. Court has directed BMC to take a policy decision on the issue within 6 weeks. The court said that it is necessary to add a condition related to not allowing the mandals who ignore the rules to make pandals next year. Let us tell you that Premia Welfare Foundation has filed a public interest litigation in the High Court regarding potholes on the roads.
The petition claimed that due to the construction of pandals, potholes emerge on the roads on a large scale, the problem of traffic jam also arises. Pedestrians do not get a way to walk. Despite this, BMC gives permission every year to the mandals that violate the rules. Only the deposit amount deposited for the permission to make the pandal in the name of the action is confiscated. This amount is very less. So mandals don’t care about deposit forfeiture and openly flout rules.
On Wednesday, a bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyay and Justice Arif Doctor heard the petition. The bench said that the list of violators has not been added to the petition, so action cannot be directed. Although BMC will have to make a concrete policy. Therefore, the Competent Authority of BMC should take a decision in this matter in 6 weeks. BMC should see this petition as a representation and take a decision.
Advocate Purnima Kantharia, appearing on behalf of BMC, said that BMC has formulated its own policy regarding the permission to make pandals. It covers all aspects. Deposits of pandals that flout the rules are confiscated. There is also a provision to impose a fine at the rate of Rs 2,000 per pothole if potholes are found on the road.
The bench said that there is a need for more rigor on this subject. If the condition of not giving permission on violation is added to the permission document, then it will be more effective. At the same time, advocate Sumedha Rao, appearing for the petitioner, said that there is a plan to concretize the roads of Mumbai. In such a situation, if concrete measures are not taken, then it can have serious consequences. From next year this rule should be made even more stringent.
