In a move that could reshape India’s live entertainment landscape, the Maharashtra government is preparing to streamline how concerts and large-scale events come to life. As per reports, a panel has been directed to draft a detailed, industry-friendly SOP based on the central government’s model for live event clearance.
With the state working on a single-window clearance system backed by clear standard operating procedures, HT got in touch with organisers, artists and attendees, as they share their take on how this new rule could cut through long-standing hurdles.
Naman Pugalia, Chief Business Officer – Live Events, BookMyShow, says, “The introduction of a single-window clearance system sets a strong precedent. In our recent report, we outlined how unified clearance mechanisms, supported by stronger inter-departmental coordination, can significantly improve ease of doing business and enable the efficient delivery of global-scale events. We’ve seen firsthand how fragmented approvals can impact timelines, routing and execution. A system like this meaningfully reduces that friction. With progressive policies, faster approvals and transparent governance, the concert economy is well positioned to become a sustained engine of growth.
Shoven Shah, Founder and CEO, TribeVibe, says, “This is a critical step towards bringing greater structure and predictability to India’s live entertainment ecosystem. Today, the complexity of approvals makes it difficult to plan and scale multi-city tours with consistency, especially beyond metros. Currently, permissions are often received close to the event date, which impacts planning and execution. A more streamlined, single-window process can significantly improve turnaround times, bring greater predictability and enable more efficient, scalable touring across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. It will not only benefit established players but also empower emerging organisers to execute events more efficiently, contributing to the overall growth of the live entertainment industry in the state.”
Karan Singh, CEO, Sunburn says, “When we began building large-format EDM festivals and shows in India nearly two decades ago, the approvals ecosystem was fragmented, with multiple authorities operating on different timelines and frameworks. The Government of Maharashtra’s move to introduce a single-window clearance system is a positive step that brings greater clarity and cohesion to the process. For events at scale, approvals play an important role in shaping timelines, production planning and the ability to deliver seamless experiences. A unified system simplifies processes, improves accountability and enables better coordination across departments, making it more efficient for organisers to plan and execute at scale.
It also brings greater predictability to the ecosystem. For organisers, this supports stronger long-term planning, better artist commitments and the confidence to invest in high-quality, large-scale experiences. Overall, it is a meaningful step towards strengthening India’s live events infrastructure and aligning it more closely with global standards.”
Siddhesh Kudtarkar, Founder, Team Innovation says, “Putting together a concert or large-scale event involves navigating multiple departments such as police, fire, municipal authorities which creates a lot of back-and-forth and uncertainty. If this truly functions as a single, coordinated system with defined timelines, accountability, and clear ownership across departments, it could significantly simplify things for organisers and make planning far more predictable. At the same time, the real impact will come down to execution. If it ends up sitting on top of existing processes instead of replacing them or adds another procedural layer without reducing duplication, it could risk complicating workflows further. For us, clarity, consistency and reliability matter more than just additional regulation.”
He adds, “I do believe this is something that should be implemented across other states as well, in principle. One of the biggest challenges we face today is the lack of uniformity across regions, which makes planning multi-city tours far more complex than it needs to be. A framework like this, if it works well, could bring much-needed consistency and make India a more attractive market for both domestic and international events. That said, it shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all model. Each state operates differently in terms of infrastructure and administration, so there needs to be flexibility in how the system is adapted locally. The goal should be alignment in intent and smoother processes, even if execution varies slightly. It could also help reduce last-minute approvals or sudden changes, which are a major challenge when you’re dealing with artist schedules, production timelines and large-scale logistics. More importantly, it would introduce transparency, allowing organisers to track approvals in real time and plan with greater confidence. Ultimately, it would let us allocate resources more efficiently and focus more on delivering quality experiences rather than navigating administrative hurdles.”
Sumit Singh, a concert goer, says, “I’m a college-going student who is working alongside my studies. Attending one concert costs a lot of money, which means that when concerts get cancelled or rescheduled, it causes us a lot of distress. Especially when one has to travel for concerts, ticket and hotel costs are also at stake if concerts get pushed or cancelled. Having said that, I feel this one-stop clearance system will surely help streamline things and fill the gaps between organisers and artists, considering that a ticketing platform will reimburse your ticket price for the event, but not your flight or hotel stay cost. Let’s hope other states also follow in the same footsteps.”