Three weeks after district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma said Puja pandals encroaching on roads would be removed, nothing has changed.

On Monday, The Telegraph visited three Durga Puja pandals — at SP Verma Road, Jamal Road and Station Road — and found the situation just the way it was a few days back. The pandals encroaching on the roads are not only leading to traffic jams but have also damaged a portion of the road where the bamboo framework has been fixed.

Residents looked unhappy with the practice.

The Telegraph had highlighted these problems in a report “Light vow but watch your step”, in its September 9 edition. The district magistrate had then said he had no idea about the problems pandals pose, but promised to look into the matter and ensure that organisers of pandals that have come up on roads are asked to remove them.

But, obviously, Verma has failed to keep his word, as many Puja pandals continue to encroach on various roads in the city. For example, the pandal of the Yuva Vyavasayik Manch on SP Verma Road was found blocking half the road. The Puja committee had not only dug up the road to fix the bamboo framework, it had also damaged a portion of the road divider on which the bamboo structure is fixed.

Secretary-cum-convener of the Puja committee, Manoj Kumar, could not be contacted in spite of several attempts.

Arun Kumar, (46), a commuter on SP Verma Road, seemed very angry with the practice of digging up roads to erect pandals. He said: “The condition of roads is already very pathetic. Why does the administration allow Puja committees to set up pandals on roads?”

Santosh Kumar, secretary, Durga Puja Samiti, Jamal Road, was unrepentant.

“Everywhere in Patna you will find Durga Puja pandals coming up on roads. So what if our Puja committee has done the same?” He also claimed his Puja committee did not damage any road.

Even when this correspondent had visited pandals that were coming up earlier this month and pointed out to Puja committee members the damage they were inflicting on the already dented roads, most members had said they had been doing it for years and the administration had never stopped them.

Raju Kumar, member, Sri Durga Puja Samiti, near Patna railway station, however, cited his Puja committee’s “helplessness” to continue with the practice (digging up road for pandal). “We were forced to set up the pandal in the middle of the road this time. Earlier, we used to set it up in a corner of the road. That way the road would never get damaged. Though our pandal has come up in the middle of the road, commuters have access to both sides of the road and there are no traffic jams,” Raju said.

Contacted again, district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma once again assured action against Puja committees that violated the roads (dug them up to erect pandals).

“We might lodge FIRs against some Puja committees. We would also penalise the committees and ask them to repair the roads with their money. We won’t let the violators go unpunished. However, whatever action needs to be taken would be taken after the Puja. We don’t want to take any action now, as it may lead to some law and order problem,” the district magistrate said.