According to the norms announced, a pandal will not occupy more than 10 feet on a 25-ft wide road, leaving thus 15 ft for vehicular traffic; not more than 20 ft on a 50-ft road, leaving 30 ft for traffic; not more than 30 ft on a 70-ft road, leaving 40 ft for traffic.

The commissioner said in his appeal to organisers of festivals, copies of which was released to the press today, that those seeking to erect pandals on public roads for various festivals should obtain his permission under section 234 of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act. However, they should first obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from a police official appointed for the purpose by the police commissioner. The PMC will refuse permission if an application is not accompanied by the police NOC. He cautioned that strict action would be taken against office-bearers of mandals and other organisations who erect pandals without the civic permission.

The Municipal Commissioner also advised the mandal office-bearers to keep in mind the police commissioner's norms before approaching the latter for the police NOC.

Though the municipal commissioner has not spelt it out in his statement, it may be recalled that the police commissioner has laid down that all pandals on public roads will not occupy more than one-third of the carriage width and that no pandal will be allowed within 10 meters from a road junction. The police chief has also directed that the pandal will not face the remaining road width but instead face the direction in which the traffic flows so as not to cause further obstruction on the carriage width.