Bombay High Court rejects plea regarding removal Dhondo Keshavs Karve’s statue in Pune
By: Pune Pulse
October 21, 2023
Pune: The Bombay High Court responded to a plea requesting the removal of the statue of Bharat Ratna Maharshi Dhondu Keshav Karve from Pune’s Kothrud area. The court stated that memorials, monuments, and other built structures serve a public purpose beyond just public utilities like dams or bridges.
The court dismissed the plea made by a 90-year-old woman who had granted a license for a firm to erect a display hoarding.
She claimed that the statue obstructed the visibility of the hoarding. The bench rejected the petitioner’s request, emphasizing that the statue should not be hidden behind the hoarding just because the petitioner wanted income from advertising.
Doing so would undermine the purpose of the statue. Additionally, the court observed that the petitioner failed to show any prohibition on the installation of statues by the civic body. The plea was filed by Indumati Borse (90) through her power of attorney holder Jitendra Borse, who owns land in the Kothrud area.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had acquired 1500 square meters of Borse’s land for road widening. Borse had granted a license to a firm called ‘Ketki Ads’ to erect a display hoarding on her land. The PMC stated that initially, in 2006, the statue was installed at the center of the junction of Karve Road and DP Road, both of which are wide. A circular traffic island was built around the statue.
However, in 2014, to improve traffic flow, the statue was moved from the central circle to a triangular portion of Borse’s land. The statue was subsequently relocated twice to different locations. Ultimately, based on the traffic department’s opinion, it was brought back to its original place on the acquired triangular portion. The PMC stated that the relocation eased traffic movement and enabled larger vehicles to have sufficient turning radius.
The civic body informed that the permission granted to Ketki Ads for hoardings was cancelled. The firm then approached the Pune civil court, which has not issued any ‘positive’ order for the re-issuance of the license. Advocate Chandana Salgaocar, representing Borse, argued that the erection or installation of statues is not part of statutory municipal functions. However, the bench noted that the government’s responsibilities encompass a wide range of activities, including addressing public sentiment and the emotional needs, desires, expectations, and demands of citizens.
Madhupriya Dhanwate
