Lata Mangeshkar's demise: Anticipating huge crowd at funeral, BMC accords temporary status of cremation ground to Shivaji Park

Anticipating a huge crowd at legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar's funeral, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) accorded a temporary status of cremation ground to Shivaji Park. The decision to grant the temporary status of cremation ground to Shivaji Park was taken citing security measures.

BMC however in its circular clarified that the permission granting the temporary status of cremation ground to Shivaji Park was given as a special case under special circumstances and it will not be considered a precedent.

The BMC made all preparations in consultation with Mumbai Police and the Mumbai Traffic Police. The BMC commissioner I S Chahal, Additional municipal commissioners Suresh Kakani and Sanjeev Kumar and joint commissioner of Mumbai police (law and order) Vishwas Nangre Patil held a joint meeting at Shivaji Park.

The officials felt that since many VIPs especially PM Narendra Modi and CM Uddhav Thackeray were attending the funeral of the legandary singer hence, to avoid taking any security risk decision was taken to hold the cremation at Shivaji park instead of the Bhagoji Keer cremation ground in Shivaji Park.

A map was then shared by the Mumbai civic body to plan and impose several restrictions of traffic movement on Keluskar Road and SVS Road at Shivaji Park. Before this, the cremation of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, who passed away in November 2012 was cremated at the Shivaji Park ground.

In 2012, the then Municipal Commissioner Sitaram Kunte had granted the status of cremation ground to the iconic Shivaji Park to enable Balasaheb Thackeray cremation and final rituals to be performed.

"We made available around 2000 square feet of area of the Shivaji Park from February 6, 2022, until midnight to perform last rites and cremation rituals of the legendary singer and to accommodate visitors and VIPs who attended her funeral," said a BMC official.