Thane Collector gives permission to CM Shinde supporter Bhoir to hold Navratri festivities at Durgadi Fort

Supporters of CM Eknath Shinde and of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had sought permission to hold the Navratri festivities at Durgadi Fort in Kalyan; Shiv Sena city president Sachin Bansare and Shinde supporter, MLA Vishwanath Bhoir approached the Thane Collector and Thane Commissioner of Police for permission

Ahead of the Navratri festival, Thane Collector gave permission on Wednesday to MLA Vishwanath Bhoir, a supporter of CM Eknath Shinde, to hold the festivities at the historic Durgadi Fort in Kalyan.

The historic Durgadi Fort in Kalyan. Permission for the Navratri festivities to be held at the fort was given to CM Eknath Shinde supporter, MLA Vishwanath Bhoir, on Wednesday by the Thane Collector. (PRAMOD TAMBE/HT PHOTO)

Supporters of Shinde and of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had sought permission to hold the festival at the fort. Shiv Sena city president Sachin Bansare and Bhoir approached the Thane Collector and Thane Commissioner of Police for permission.

Collector Rajesh Narvekar said, “As per the recommendations by the police, we have allotted permission to Bhoir, who has been holding the programmes and fair at the fort for the last few years.”

With the permissions granted, preparations for the festival will finally begin at the fort.

“I have been organising rituals and fairs since 2014 at the fort. I had applied for the same and was awaiting permission. Now that we have got it, we will begin the preparations for the same.”

“Since we have not been given the permission, we need the justification as to why it has been given to us. The party workers met the police and visited the Collector’s office today to check the status. But we have not been informed why we were not given the permission. We want an explanation on this,” said Bansare.

The historic Durgadi fort, which is located at the entrance of Kalyan city, has lakhs of visitors during the Navratri Durga Puja.