MUMBAI: Ganpati mandals in the city, who held a meeting with BMC officials on Tuesday afternoon, have opposed the five-year 'conditional' nod proposed by the BMC. The BMC had announced that they would give mandals a five-year blanket permission if they have been following all rules over the past ten years. "There is bound to be some or another issue the mandals have faced in the last one decade, whether it was a penalty for potholes or fire safety-related issues.
Therefore, putting a clause as such is not justified," said Naresh Dahibavkar, president of Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti. With only one month left for Ganpati celebrations to commence in the city, the BMC has also assured mandals that permissions to be issued to them would be fast-tracked. The association has also demanded a 50% concession in rent from the BMC for mandals who set up pandals in civic gardens, an increase in the number of artificial immersion sites, and the filling of potholes on roads, trimming of trees, and removal of any hanging cables so that there is no obstruction to the path of Ganpati idols being brought to their mandals.
The meeting was also attended by Mumbai guardian minister for suburbs, MP Lodha, who also backed the mandals on the issue. "Unless there are serious charges against the mandals, there is no reason to not grant them a blanket permission for five years. I have also made a demand to the BMC to allow free public parking for all devotees in the civic parking .