Pune Municipal Corporation Begins Fire Safety Audit of Theatres; Vows to Address Artists’ Concerns

Pune, 21st August 2024: In response to the recent fire at Sangeetsurya Keshavrao Bhosale Natyagruha in Kolhapur, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has initiated a fire safety audit of all drama theatres under its jurisdiction. The tender process for the audit has been completed. In a meeting held yesterday, PMC officials pledged to resolve the issues faced by artists within a month, alongside addressing deficiencies in the fire safety systems. Artists have long complained to the administration about problems in PMC theatres, raising concerns on various platforms. However, it was only after the fire incident in Kolhapur that the administration took decisive action.

Officials from the Cultural Department, Building Design Department, Electricity Department, and Fire Department convened to discuss the problems faced by artists. Present at the meeting were Sunil Ballal, Deputy Commissioner of the Cultural Centers Department; Virendra Kelkar, Executive Engineer of the Building Design Department; Yogesh Mali, Deputy Engineer of the Electrical Department; and Gajanan Pachurdikar, Fire Brigade Officer. Theatre managers Mohan Kulkarni, Sameer Hampi, Praveen Barve, Laxmikant Khabiy, Shashikant Kothavale, and Yogesh Supekar highlighted the challenges faced by theatres and their artists. Officials assured that these issues would be resolved within a month.

Rajesh Kamthe, Head of PMC Theatres, stated, “Officials from various departments are now fully aware of the difficulties faced by the artists. To address these issues, every theatre will be inspected, and a meeting will be held with managers and employees. Further steps will be taken accordingly after discussions.”

Mohan Kulkarni added, “Recently, the PMC administration held a meeting to discuss the problems experienced in the theatres. Various issues were raised, including theatre management, cleanliness, washrooms, the cancellation of play dates due to political events, and the lack of canteen facilities. It has been promised that these problems will be resolved within a month after a review of each theatre.”