Responding to the demand made by the Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has given its nod for the installation of a 16-feet-tall statue of the deity Vithal and murals of saints in Kausarbaug Tarawade Wasti near Mohammadwadi.
Under the leadership of Administrator Vikram Kumar, the PMC has granted permission for the installation of the Vithal idol along with 12 murals of saints, each measuring 7 feet by 12 feet. This project is part of the initiative to develop ‘Sant Shrishti’ or the lineage of saints.
Administrator Vikram Kumar stated that the PMC would follow the state government’s regulations regarding the installation of idols in public places and would seek opinions from all relevant departments before proceeding with the project.
The proposed project site is located at Dattoba Appa Shankarrao Tarwade Pazar Talav in Tarwade Wasti within the Mohammadwadi-Kausarbaug area.
In June of this year, Pramod alias Nana Bhangire, the city’s Shiv Sena chief, urged the PMC to promptly approve the project and expedite its completion. The ‘Sant Shrishti’ project, situated near Tarawade Pazar Talav in Mohammadwadi, aims to feature a 16-feet-tall statue of the deity Vithal. Bhangire emphasized the necessity of the PMC’s approval for the project.
Bhangire explained that the chosen area had hygiene issues due to the release of sewage water, prompting the decision to develop it in the public interest. He mentioned that the civil work at the site has already been finished and that only the murals of saints and the Vithal idol need to be installed. The project is expected to be completed within the next two months, encompassing a musical fountain and a seating area for visitors.
While the Shiv Sena leader claimed that all necessary permissions have been acquired for the project, the civic administration clarified that the process of obtaining permissions for installing the idol under the project is still ongoing.
The state government’s resolution from May 2, 2017, has decentralized the approval process for installing idols of national leaders and prominent individuals. The PMC is required to seek permission from the committee led by the district collector for the idol installation. This committee includes the administrative head of the relevant civic body, the police chief, the superintendent engineer of the state public works department, and the residence deputy collector.
The state government’s guidelines stipulate that no individual, institution, or organization can install an idol on public or private property without permission from the district collector-led committee. Additionally, the design of the idol must be approved by the Art Directorate of the state government, and the installation should not pose any future law and order issues. A no-objection certificate from the local police is also required.
