Courts Reopen in Pune, Civic Buses Yet to Resume Services

Pune, June 8: The Pune district and sessions court, other lower and subordinate courts here in Maharashtra resumed work on Monday following the easing of lockdown restrictions. Some private offices also opened with limited staff, but the civic-run buses were yet to resume operations in the city.

According to the Pune Bar Association, the district and sessions court located in Shivajinagar area resumed operations with limited work capacity. "As per the guidelines issued, the court has resumed with staff working in two shifts. Only lawyers and pre-decided parties, who have urgent hearings, are being allowed to enter the court complex," Pune Bar Association's vice president Sachin Hingankar said.

The courts will hear only urgent matters, like the ones in the final stage of arguments and order, he said. "Lawyers and other people have been asked not to come to the court without any urgent work and those who come should leave immediately after the work is over," he said.

Social distancing and hygiene guidelines are being followed, he said. The private chambers of lawyers in the court premises have not been allowed to open, he said.

"Since today was the first day the court reopened after almost three months, there was some crowd but we have appealed to all stakeholders to refrain from coming to the court without any urgent work," he said.

Besides courts, some private offices in the city also reopened with limited staff. However, the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML), the civic body's transport utility, is yet to start bus services in the city.

"Bus services have started on some key routes in the neighbouring Pimpri Chinchward municipal limits, but operations are yet to resume in Pune city," an official from PMPML said.