Ganeshotsav is just a few days away, and as the festival approaches, preparations for public celebrations have picked up pace in Mumbai and across Maharashtra. However, one major hurdle in the construction of pandals in Mumbai this year is the new penalty rule introduced by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
According to the new regulations, Ganesh mandals will be fined Rs 15,000 if they dig pits for pandal installation on roads. Previously, the fine was only Rs 2,000. This year, the penalty has been increased by seven and a half times, leading several public Ganeshotsav mandals to call the move 'not fair.'
Sharing the newspaper cutout National Congress Party-Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP) leader Rohit Pawar said apply penalties those who constructed Atal Setu and Samruddhi Expressway as there are potholes on the news constructed transport infrastructure.
"If roads are dug up to erect pandals, the authorities that impose a fine of 15,000 rupees on Ganesh mandals should first reflect on why potholes appeared on the Atal Setu and Samruddhi Expressway and penalize those responsible for it. While there is darkness right under the lamp, the authorities should not obstruct our traditional festivals. If potholes do appear somewhere, the municipal corporation should fill them up after the Ganeshotsav!," Pawar said in a post on X.
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Meanwhile, Minister and BJP MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha has stated that the earlier fine of Rs 2,000 should be reinstated. He also mentioned that he would meet Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani to discuss the matter and seek a reconsideration of the decision.
There is growing resentment among mandals across Mumbai as the new rules impose a significant financial burden. Lodha further assured that all potholes along the Ganesh arrival and immersion routes will be filled within the next 10 days.
This year, the Maharashtra government has officially declared ‘Ganeshotsav’ as the “State Festival of Maharashtra.” The BMC has announced that it will celebrate the festival in an enthusiastic and eco-friendly manner. To streamline the process, BMC has implemented a one-window online system for granting various permissions to public Ganesh mandals in Mumbai. Applications can be submitted through the official website: https://portal.mcgm.gov.in.