India, Aug. 12 -- Pune mayor Manjusha Nagpure on Wednesday directed the civic administration to provide designated spaces and timely permissions for dhol-tasha groups to practise ahead of the upcoming Ganeshotsav, officials said.

Nagpure said the traditional percussion groups are an important part of Pune's cultural identity, with thousands of young men and women participating in them. She urged the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to make suitable open spaces available without affecting traffic or inconveniencing residents.

She suggested that civic-owned open grounds and other suitable locations, including riverbed areas where permitted, be considered for practice sessions. She also called for a single-window system, online or offline,...