Enhanced insurance cover, more jewellery adoring the Lord, facial recognition for enhanced security, havans for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and Chandrayaan 3 are among the things that the devotees will get to see at the GSB Seva Mandal's Ganpati at King Circle, considered the richest in the city this festive season.
The mandal has taken an insurance cover of Rs 360.40 crore that will cover the mandal, structure, public calamites, its volunteers, the jewellery that lord adorns and personal accident insurance.
Insurance cover jumps by ₹40 crore
"This year our insurance cover is more by over Rs 40 crore as compared to last year. On the religious side, we will be performing a havan for the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The Lord will be adorning more jewellery this year.
"We have a donor who has donated gold for his arm that we will present in his feet and it will go for making. The gold has gone up by 250 grams. The silver is also up. Silver addition will be used this year in serving food for the lord," said Amit Pai, spokesperson and trustee of the GSB Seva Mandal. GSB unveils its Ganpati on September 17 while the festival is actually celebrated by them from September 19 to 23.
Reason behind increased cover
"The insurance cover jumps largely due to the valuation report of the jewellery. Since their valuation jumps, the insurance cover also jumps too," said Vijay Kamath, chairman of the GSB Seva Mandal. Last year the insurance cover was around Rs 316 crore. The gold is over 67 kgs and silver nearly 300 kgs. The Mandal will have two special Ganahomas (ritual fire). "The other one is for Chandrayaan 3," said Kamath.
Enhanced security arrangements
Besides using the QR code that was introduced as new technology for booking prasad, puja, this year the Mandal has facial recognition. "We have introduced facial recognition for better security. This will particularly help in the area around the pandal where the Lord sits," said Kamath.
In its 69th year, the mandal will continue to stick to some old ways it has been celebrating the festival. This includes keeping the idol and mandal eco-friendly and also distributing food on banana leaves. The mandal also prides itself in being among the only mandal in the city where the rituals are being performed round the clock according to our traditions. On an average, around 60,000 poojas or sevas are offered and more than 20,000 people take benefit of the prasad bhojan that is offered.
Break-up of insurance cover:
1. Rs 38.47 Crore: All risk insurance cover for a variety of risks that includes Gold, Silver and Jewellery.
2. Rs 2 Crore: Standard Fire and Special Peril Policy with Earthquake Risk for items like Furniture, Fixtures & Fittings, Installations such as Computers, CCTV Cameras, QR scanners, Utensils, Grocery, Fruits & Vegetables._
3. RS 30 Crore: for The Public liability which covers Pandals, Stadiums, Devotees etc. is secured.
4. Rs 289.50 Crore: That covers The Personal Accident Insurance for Volunteers, Archaks, Cooks, Gadis, Chappal Stall Workers, Valet Parking Persons, Security Guards, etc
5. Rs 43 Lacs: *The Standard Fire & Special Peril Policy*_for the venue premises.
