2,702 Ganpati mandals get BMC nod to set up pandals across Mumbai on eve of festival

Mumbai: A total of 2,702 Ganpati mandals in Mumbai have received BMC permission to erect pandals till Sunday morning, almost on par with last year’s figure.

The number of permissions this year is likely to rise marginally by Monday, with some mandals expected to receive permissions at the last minute.

As many as 4,164 mandals had applied for permission, show civic records, most of them for setting up pandals along roads. Of these, 2,702 have been cleared so far, while applications of 17 mandals are still pending with ward-level municipal commissioners.

Some organisers like Nikhil Morye of Bal Mitra Mandal, which hosts the Mithanagar Cha Raja, said the BMC has been making efforts to streamline the permission process, but there is still scope for improvement. “The BMC has started granting five-year permissions to mandals.

However, this does not mean mandals do not have to apply to the civic body, as police NOCs are routed through the BMC. In many cases, mandals also increase the size of their installations, making a fresh police clearance necessary. At times, police verification takes longer than expected, leaving organisers anxious,” he said.