{
  "id": 5101430,
  "title": "Pune: PMC Urges Ganesh Mandals To Avoid Street-Light Poles For Electrical Connections",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/pune-pmc-urges-ganesh-mandals-to-avoid-street-light-poles-for",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-02T13:26:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/pune/pune-pmc-urges-ganesh-mandals-to-avoid-street-light-poles-for-electrical-connections"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ahead of the Ganeshotsav festivities in Pune, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has released an urgent safety advisory to residents and Ganesh mandals. The city's civic body is cautioning against the use of street-light poles, junction boxes and feeder pillars for temporary power connections during the celebrations. The PMC's electrical department is currently conducting a city-wide inspection of street-light poles, performing maintenance and repairs to avoid accidents.\n\nPublic citizens have been urged to report any damaged or hazardous poles, junction boxes or feeder pillars to their nearest regional office. The PMC has taken particular note of the dangers posed by Ganesh mandals connecting to junction boxes or feeder pillars attached to street-light poles. Instead of this risky practice, organizers are encouraged to secure temporary electrical connections through the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).\n\nChief Engineer (Electrical) at the PMC, Manisha Shetkare, issued a call for cooperation: \"All Ganesh mandals should cooperate with the Pune Municipal Corporation and obtain authorised electricity connections to celebrate Ganeshotsav safely and joyfully.\"\n\nThe civic body has also put forth a warning to mandals involved in the construction of temporary pandals. Often, in their haste to erect these structures, organisers dig roads, which can result in damage to underground electrical cables. Such harm may compromise cable insulation and lead to the possibility of electric current reaching the metal components of a mandap.\n\nFurthermore, the PMC has advised organizers to take utmost care during excavation work, ensuring that no damage is done to underground cables. Residents have been cautioned not to touch street-light poles, feeder pillars or electrical equipment. They must refrain from drawing unauthorised electricity from poles, tying animals or wires to them, or installing flexes and hoardings on these structures. Climbing junction boxes or approaching exposed underground cables is also strongly discouraged.",
  "summary": "Pune: Ahead of the Ganeshotsav celebrations, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has issued an electrical safety appeal to citizens and Ganesh mandals, warning them against using street-light poles, junction boxes and feeder pillars for temporary power connections. The civic body said its electrical department was inspecting street-light poles across the city and carrying out necessary…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}