Pune: Despite the civic administration forming a policy about not spending money on decorative poles, the corporators are wasting money on decorative poles in different parts of the city.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has made a policy and framed guidelines for street lighting and general illumination. It was passed in March 2018.
In the policy, PMC’s electrical department has mentioned that decorative poles will be installed only in gardens, on bridges and near heritage structures. However, it was revealed that the corporators are giving proposals to install decorative poles in their areas.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator Farzana Sheikh from Lohegaon-Vishrantwadi area, demanded Rs 10 lakh for installing decorative poles in her ward. Another corporator Vijay Laxmi Harihar also demanded Rs 20 lakh for decorative poles. Corporators have submitted proposals to the Standing Committee to approve money for decorative poles in their wards.
While speaking to Sakal Times, Srinivas Kandul, Chief Superintendent of Electrical Department of PMC, said, “According to the policy, only gardens and bridges can have decorative poles. The policy allows the installation of decorative poles in the above mentioned areas only. The main electrical department is rejecting the proposals but the corporators are pushing proposals at ward office level.”
He appealed to corporators to follow the policy and save public money. A decorative pole costs around Rs 3 to Rs 4 lakh. The price is much higher than a regular street light pole and decorative poles are heavier in weight. The PMC had formed the policy for uniformity in street lights and saving money with restricted decorative poles in chowk and traffic junctions.
