Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Aug 1: In a major relief for thousands of Ganesh Mandals preparing for the upcoming Ganeshotsav, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has rolled back the steep Rs 15,000 fee previously levied for digging pits to erect pandals. The revised charge is now Rs 2,000, restoring the earlier fee structure and alleviating a significant financial burden on Mandals across the city.

The decision comes after persistent efforts by Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who raised the matter at the ‘Raja Chhatrapati Samasya Samadhan Shibir’ held at BMC’s C-Ward office. Following public appeals and intervention by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani was instructed to implement the rollback with immediate effect.

“Ganeshotsav is an inseparable part of Maharashtra’s culture. It must be celebrated with full enthusiasm, and the government will stand by the Mandals,” Lodha declared, assuring full support from the state administration.

For many small and medium-sized Mandals, this move is a lifeline, enabling them to proceed with preparations without fear of exorbitant civic penalties. The fee rollback has been welcomed across the city, with organisers hailing the move as both timely and sensitive to tradition.

As Ganesh Chaturthi nears, this decision not only resolves a key logistical hurdle but also reaffirms the government's commitment to supporting religious and cultural practices in the city.