With the Ganeshotsav set to be celebrated from August 27 to September 6, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has issued an advisory urging citizens and Ganesh Mandals to strictly follow electrical safety guidelines.
According to the civic body, all streetlight poles in the city have been inspected by PMC’s electrical engineers to ensure none are in a dangerous condition. However, citizens have been asked to immediately report any unsafe situation, such as a live pole, broken junction box, or damaged feeder pillar, to the nearest regional office.
PMC has specifically appealed to Ganesh Mandals not to rely on streetlight poles for electricity supply. “Mandals should maintain a safe distance between the pavilion and streetlight poles and must not draw connections from junction boxes or feeder pillars,” the statement said. It further warned that digging up roads while setting up pavilions could damage underground cables, risking electric current leakage into the structure.
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has made arrangements to provide temporary legal power connections for the festival at concessional rates. PMC has urged all mandals to take advantage of this facility and avoid unauthorised connections.
For public safety, PMC has also warned citizens:
- Do not tamper with streetlights, poles, or electrical systems.
- Do not touch streetlight poles or feeder pillars.
- Do not take electricity from streetlight poles without permission.
- Do not tie animals to poles.
- Do not climb poles or junction boxes.
- PMC has urged citizens to remain cautious and adhere to the advisory.
