Cases against Ganpati pandals for potholes may be withdrawn

The annual amount spent on preparations by the govt to be increased to ₹9 crore

MUMBAI: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday directed civic officials to reconsider applications to set up roadside Ganesh pandals, that were either rejected or cancelled by local authorities, previously.

In Mumbai, more than 800 applications have been rejected or cancelled for various reasons so far this year.

Fadnavis has assured that the cases registered against Ganesh mandals for creating potholes and violation of silence zones may also be dropped. A committee has been formed to study and make recommendations. On Thursday, Fadnavis reviewed preparations for the 10-day Ganeshotsav starting from September 13. Representatives from umbrella organisations of Ganesh mandals were invited for the meeting along with senior officials.

Naresh Dahibavkar, coordinator, Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti (BSGSS), an umbrella organisation of city’s Ganesh mandals, said, “CM Fadnavis directed the officials to reconsider the applications that were either rejected or cancelled by local authorities —Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai Police. He also asked the mandals to re-apply for BMC permissions and extended the deadline from September 2 to 5.

“With the online system in place, mandals which have got permission this year, won’t need

to submit relevant documents from next year while making applications,” said Dahibavkar.

Akhil Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mahasangh president Jayendra Salgaonkar, an umbrella organisation for mandals in the state, said that the CM has also directed BMC to review cases against mandals for creating potholes and not paying the ₹2,000 penalty per pothole. “Fadnavis assured that such cases would be withdrawn,” said Salgaonkar.

“The CM has also assured us that BMC’S budget for Ganeshotsav preparations will be increased from ₹6 crore to ₹9 crore,” he said.