The number of permissions 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. At times, police verification takes longer than expected, leaving organisers anxious,” he said. Naresh Dahibhavkar, president of the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, said police personnel are often stretched during VVIP movements in the run-up to the festival, which can further delay clearances. However, permissions for mandals should be processed well in advance to avoid a last-minute rush,” he said.
“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. “We understand that the police have other responsibilities, especially during VVIP movements, and we extend our support to the authorities.
With Ganpati immersions set to begin from Tuesday, additional municipal commissioner Avinash Dhakne on Sunday inspected key immersion sites across Mumbai, including Girgaum Chowpatty and Dadar Chowpatty in the island city, Juhu beach in the western suburbs and Powai Lake in the eastern suburbs, to review civic facilities and safety arrangements for devotees.