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Maharashtra Forms 24-Member Panel to Draft Single-Window SOP for Big Live Events

Officials plan a digital permissions dashboard to cut red tape after high-profile cancellations.

Overview

  • The state government, which set up the 24-member committee on Monday, tasked it with drafting an industry-facing SOP for one-window approvals in line with Centre guidelines.
  • The panel is led by the Director General of Information and Public Relations and includes senior police, BMC, collector, traffic, and fire officials.
  • The government authorised the I&PR directorate to hire an external agency to build a dashboard that routes and tracks event permissions.
  • Organisers now must chase 10 to 15 clearances from police, traffic, fire, and civic bodies, a process that often causes delays and last-minute refusals.
  • The push follows recent disruptions, including Circoloco’s Mumbai debut being cancelled a day before the April 19 show after police cited crowd-control risks, and tighter checks after a drug overdose at a separate concert.