Amid outrage in Ganesh mandals over the steep fine for digging roads for the upcoming festival, of Rs 15,000 Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday announced a rollback of the controversial amount. For the unversed, BMC had planned to levy on pandals erected during the festival. Shinde made the announcement through a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, stating that he had spoken to BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani and instructed that there should be no increase in the penalty amount.
Addressing public concerns, Shinde wrote, “The BMC had increased the road reinstatement fee charged to mandals for digging roads for pandals. After discussing the matter with Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, I’ve directed that the fine should not be increased. The earlier rule of Rs 2,000 per pothole will continue.” He further appealed to mandals to avoid digging concrete roads and consider new technologies for erecting pandals without causing damage. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, through a July 21 circular, hiked the fine for digging roads to set up pandals to Rs 15,000 per pothole.Several Ganesh mandals protested the steep increase in the penalty. For several years, the BMC has been imposing fines on Ganeshotsav mandals for potholes found near their pandals after the festival. Until last year, the penalty stood at Rs 2,000 per pothole.
Earlier, Cabinet Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha had assured the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal that the penalty amount will be reversed to the original Lodha conducted a Janata Darbar at the BMC’s C Ward office on Wednesday, aiming to provide immediate solutions to public grievances. During the session, 318 complaints were registered, with one major concern being the BMC’s new regulation imposing a Rs 15,000 fine on Ganeshotsav mandals for digging pits to erect pandals.
“Ganeshotsav is a deeply cherished and culturally significant festival for all of us. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that citizens can celebrate it with joy and without unnecessary obstacles. We fully understand the sentiments of the Ganesh Mandals regarding the recently imposed fine. I will be meeting with the BMC Commissioner shortly to discuss the issue and work toward an appropriate resolution,” said Lodha. The 11-day Ganesh festival will be celebrated between August 27 and September 6.