Those looking to hire Gandhi Maidan for organising political or other functions would have to follow certain rules.

A committee headed by Patna divisional commissioner ELSN Bala Prasad is set to hold its first meeting shortly to work out detailed guidelines regarding allotment and penalty for littering.

Taking a lesson from the October 27 serial blasts, the government had on November 14 approved a protocol for the security of Gandhi Maidan and formed the panel headed by Prasad.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar had himself taken the call to formulate guidelines for the booking of Gandhi Maidan.

“The committee would hold its first meeting this week itself. However, the date has not yet been finalised,” said Patna district magistrate N. Saravana Kumar, who is a member of the committee.

The meeting would focus chiefly on allotment of the ground and how to ensure its cleanliness once the event is over. Nitish has voiced concern over the pile of litter after any event and had issued specific instructions to his party workers to clean up the maidan after his Adhikar Rally last year.

“There are many issues which would be discussed in the meeting; however, our focus would be on procedures of allotment of the ground and cleanliness. We will suggest imposing heavy penalty on those leaving the ground littered. The advance money given by the political party concerned or event management agency will be confiscated,” said Saravana Kumar.

“The building construction department had been assigned the responsibility of the ground’s overall maintenance but it is also the duty of the people to clean the ground after their rally or event gets over. They have to return the ground in its original shape,” he added.

The DM said that it has already been decided to install door-frame metal detectors at all entrance points for every rally.

The meeting would also take up the issue of a fee hike for renting the maidan and a final decision would also be taken regarding outsourcing of security for the 62-acre greens. At present, there is virtually no one to take care of this ground. After the blasts, the district administration has taken pains to depute a few constables armed with sticks to secure the maidan.

Among those expected to attend the meeting are senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaj, Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner Kuldip Narayan and secretary, building construction, Chanchal Kumar.

“The new rules for booking the ground would not be simple and people have to fulfil certain criteria before it would be handed over. Located in the heart of the city, there has to be some rule which should send a loud and clear message to all those who want to book the ground,” said an official in the office of the divisional commissioner.