Mumbai: Applications for Ganpati mandal soar as govt announces restrictionless festivities

The BMC has received 3,255 applications for Ganpati mandals and has issued 1,947 permissions so far. Last year, the civic body had received 2,507 applications, of which 2,048 were permitted.

A year prior, in 2020, only 1,700 mandals were allowed owing to the pandemic. With 370 applications still under process this year, the number is set to rise and almost touch the pre-pandemic (2019) figure of 3,723 applications, of which 2,489 were approved.

The 11-day Ganeshotsav will be celebrated from August 31 without restrictions for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020.

The BMC started clearing the approvals for mandals to erect pandals from July 4 with a one-window system, with a fee of Rs 100, which was recently waived by the state government.

Additionally, BMC has also extended the deadline for receipt of online mandap applications up to August 26, at 5.30 pm.

Deputy municipal commissioner Harshad Kale said 71 per cent of the mandals have been granted permissions and the enthusiasm can be witnessed in the numbers, as 748 more applications have been received in comparison to last year.

With only a week left for the festival, the mandals have also requested the BMC to fill all potholes, especially on the procession routes. Some mandals have, however, already brought in their idols.

Published on: Tuesday, August 23, 2022, 11:31 PM IST