8 days for Ganpati, only 17 Mumbai pandals get permissions

The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, the coordination committee of ganesh mandals, had asked for an online system last month.

Eight days ahead of the Ganpati festival,the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has given approval to only 17 applications from Ganesh Mandals to set up pandals across the city.

Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated next Friday. (HT)

Of the 738 applications received, 60 have been rejected, while 580 are pending.

The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, the coordination committee of ganesh mandals, had asked for an online system last month.

While the civic body had promised to go online, they are still working on the software.

With the new policy, civic officials will only grant permissions for no-objection certificates (NOCs) from the police and traffic department.

Many mandals have gone ahead and constructed pandals without the permission.

According to civic officials, 11,000 idols from various mandals are immersed in the city, but only 15% of the mandals take permission to set up pandals.