Mumbai civic body to charge Ganesh mandals more for potholes

The BMC is planning to charge Rs500 extra as penalty for each pothole that Ganesh mandals create while putting up pandals on roads. However, even after collecting fine from erring mandals last year, the civic body did not fill the potholes on roads. 

Last year, BMC had collected Rs3,72,00 from 52 Ganesh mandals in the city and suburbs for damaging roads. Narendra Dahibawkar, secretary of the Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti (coordination committee of all Ganesh mandals), said, “Last year,
the BMC collected the penalty, but did not repair the roads.” 

In a meeting with Ganesh mandals called by mayor Shraddha Jadhav, the civic officials proposed that BMC will charge Rs500 for each pothole during this festival, said Dahibavkar.   

“When there is no open space to celebrate the festival, then there is no other way but to erect pandals. Ganesh mandals have put up their pandals on the road. In such a case, it is not possible without digging the roads,” said Ashish Shelar, BJP corporator and president of a Ganeshotsav mandal in Bandra (West). 

Dr Kishor Kshirsagar, deputy municipal commissioner, Zone I, said there is no change in the policy. “The BMC will collect Rs2,000 from Ganesh mandals as security deposit. But penalty for digging roads has not been decided,” he said.

There are 1,055 Ganesh mandals in the city. In its attempt to keep the city free of potholes, the BMC denies permission to many of them to put up pandals on roads.