Located about 120 kilometres from the city, Mahabaleshwar –, which served as the summer capital of Bombay province during the British Raj – is a popular getaway for newlyweds. But, now the hill station is about to become the setting of an academic brainstorming session.

University of Pune (UoP) has decided to organise a workshop for about 300 principals and directors from various affiliated institutions from February 15-17 at the holiday resort. The varsity is expected to spend around Rs 18 lakh on the exercise. However, some officials have questioned the need for holding the workshop in Mahabaleshwar, which doesn’t come under the varsity’s jurisdiction, when the lush green UoP campus with spacious auditoriums would be adequate for the purpose.