PMC Urges Ganesh Mandals to Secure Legal Power Connections

Pune :The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) electricity department has issued a strong appeal to Ganesh mandals across the city, urging them to obtain temporary power connections from the Maharashtra State Energy Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) rather than resorting to illegal connections from streetlight poles, junction boxes, and feeders.

With nearly 4,000 public Ganesh mandals in Pune and its suburbs, the department is emphasizing the importance of adhering to legal power supply channels. Many housing societies are also setting up their own pandals, with around 500 mandals having already secured the necessary permissions.

To facilitate the process, MSEDCL will offer a concessional tariff for temporary connections and will establish a dedicated helpline to assist mandals during the festival. Officials have announced that surprise checks will be conducted to ensure compliance with the regulations.

Manisha Shekatkar, Superintending Engineer of the PMC electricity department, warned, “We will disconnect the power supply of mandals illegally tapping electricity from the streetlight poles. Such practices are dangerous and can result in fatalities.”

In preparation for the festival, the electrical department has completed a survey of all streetlights to ensure their proper functioning throughout the ten-day celebration. Additionally, civic officials have highlighted the importance of safety and security measures to be implemented by contractors responsible for electricity provisions at 288 points along the Ganesh Visarjan route.

Last year, MSEDCL’s vigilance and flying squad discovered that 3,800 mandals were using unauthorized power supplies, while only about 375 had obtained temporary connections from the company. This year, the PMC and MSEDCL are keen to enforce stricter compliance to prevent such issues.