SHILLONG, OCT 14: East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal on Wednesday said the administration will ensure that Durga Puja pandals built on PWD roads do not cause undue public inconvenience, even as he admitted that shifting some pandals at this stage is practically difficult.
Responding to objections raised by pressure groups, Baranwal said sector magistrates have been asked to work with all stakeholders.
“So, few pressure groups have come forward objecting to the construction of the Puja pandals on the PWD, especially in light of public inconvenience, we have taken note of those objections and we have asked our sector magistrates to work it out,” he said.
“Every sector magistrate is looking after different sectors, we have asked them to coordinate with the local dorbar, the local OC, and simultaneously with all the local stakeholders to ensure that no public inconvenience is caused, while simultaneously respecting the religious rights of the Hindu community,” he added.
On complaints about pandals on PWD roads, particularly at R R Colony, he said, “The sector magistrate has held almost 2-3 rounds of meetings with the local dorbar.”
He said relocating the pandals now would create hardship for committees.
“At the time when these concerns were raised, it was such a time when relocating these pandals or finding an alternative location would have posed severe practical difficulties for the Durga Puja Committees,” Baranwal said.
He said the R R Colony committee has been allowed to continue this year as per PWD NOC, but with a clear warning.
“In consultation with the local dorbar, while the construction as per the NOC given by PWD has been allowed, it has been made clear to these Durga Puja Committees that such arrangements cannot continue in the future because of the public inconvenience that is caused,” he said.
On traffic management, he said, “We have also coordinated with the SP office that diversions should be such that the congestion and the diversions should be minimized, not just lengthwise but also for the time that it will be imposed.”
“We have instructed the police to ensure that sufficient traffic personnel should be there on the road to ensure that the congestion does not really become unmanageable,” he said, adding that out of 69 pandals, the one at R R Colony has traditionally occupied part of the PWD road.
On immersion, Baranwal said timing has been staggered due to ongoing riverfront development.
“There is riverfront development which is taking place, as a result of which instead of five immersions that used to take place earlier together, the number of immersions that can now take place at that site at once has reduced,” he said.
“The number of Puja pandals has remained the same over the years, so we are giving staggered timings that when Puja pandals from a particular sector can start their movement towards the immersion ghat. We are going to map every pandal and calculate the expected time taken from each pandal to the immersion ghat to plan it in a manner that minimizes the traffic congestion,” he added.
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