Mumbai: BMC Approves 2,271 Ganesh Pandals for 2024 Festival; 500+ Applications Still Under Review

Mumbai, 6th September 2024: As Mumbai prepares for the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations starting this Saturday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has reported that it has approved 2,271 Sarvajanik Ganesh Mandals for setting up pandals this year. In addition, over 500 applications are currently under review by the Mumbai Police and Traffic Department.

Every year, organizers of Sarvajanik Mandals seek permission from the civic authorities to set up pandals for the festival. According to BMC data, a total of 3,753 applications were submitted by trusts and Sarvajanik Mandals in Mumbai.

Among these, 512 applications were duplicates, leaving 2,271 mandals approved. Additionally, 445 applications are still being verified by the BMC. The final clearance from the Mumbai Police is pending for 305 mandals, and 220 mandals are awaiting permission from the Traffic Department.

Civic officials attribute the surge in applications to the BMC’s single-window system, which streamlines the process and has encouraged more organizers to apply. “Organizers no longer need to visit multiple departments for permissions, which has led to an increase in applications,” an official explained.

Since some pandals are located near roads, additional permissions are required from the police to manage potential traffic disruptions. Many applications are processed on the final day before the festival begins.

Applications may be rejected if they are duplicates or if the Traffic Police issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) due to potential traffic congestion caused by the pandals.

Naresh Dahibavkar, president of the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, mentioned that technical issues are causing delays in the registration process. “Despite the single-window system, some associations face difficulties due to server outages when submitting application fees,” Dahibavkar said.

Last year, the BMC received 3,767 applications, with 72% granted permission. In 2022, out of 3,487 applications, 2,417 were approved.

Additionally, the BMC is setting up over 200 artificial lakes across the 24 municipal wards to facilitate the immersion of Ganesh idols during the festival.