BMC fines Lalbaugcha Raja Rs 4.86L for 243 potholes

The king of Lalbaug, popularly known as ‘Lalbaughcha Raja’ ganesh mandal, has been fined by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) with Rs 4.86 lakh for 243 potholes which developed by the mandal during the 11-day Ganesh festival.

Vishwas Mote, assistant municipal commissioner of BMC, Parel Ward, stated that Rs 2, 000 fine has been levied for each pothole and notice of same has been served to them on September 11. Similarly, another famous mandal named Ganesh Gali has been fined by BMC for 207 potholes.

Last year also the Lalbaug Ganesh mandal was fined by the BMC with Rs. 4.5 lakh for potholes.

Mote said, “Last year’s penalty was paid by the mandal, but this year too they repeated the same mistake. Our officials have found not just Lalbaug but also other mandals who have breached the norms of No Objection Certificate (NOC) given for setting up of pandals and therefore, notices have been served to all who are at fault.”

BMC, during Ganesh festival, gives permission to mandals for setting up pandals with a condition that the roads should not get affected.

However, it has been found that Ganesh mandals during the festival dug the road for setting-up pandals.

Balasaheb Kamble, president, Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, said, “We are yet to receive a BMC notice regarding the fine. We will pay if the roads were damaged because of our pandal. But this year, we took additional precaution and filled all the holes created by us. Its impossible that there are more than 200 potholes because of us. Moreover, our pandal was built on a ground”.