Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has announced that permits for setting up stalls to sell Ganesh idols will be issued soon, with an advertisement to be published within the next two days. The PMC has also warned that unauthorized stalls will face strict action.

Despite Ganeshotsav being just fifteen days away, the process of granting permits for Ganesh idol sales and related items has not yet begun. However, stalls have already started appearing in central city areas like the Peths, causing traffic disruptions and potential revenue loss for the Corporation.

The Pune Municipal Corporation had held its Ganeshotsav planning meeting a month in advance, on August 7th, and promised to expedite the process of issuing permits by August 31st.

However, no action has been taken so far, raising concerns among idol sellers who fear it may take at least another eight days to obtain permits once the advertisement is finally published.

In the meantime, sellers have already set up stalls, anticipating that the necessary permits would be granted, and citizens have begun visiting these stalls weeks in advance to reserve their Ganpati idols. This premature setup has led to increased congestion on footpaths and roads.

The Pune Municipal Corporation has clarified that no stall has yet been granted a permit, and notices will be issued to unauthorized stalls. If these stalls are not removed voluntarily, the PMC will take action to dismantle them.