The BMC has approved 2,425 of the 2,925 applications it received from Ganesh mandals for erecting pandals. In all, 500 applications have been rejected during scrutiny by the traffic police, Mumbai Police and BMC. This year, the civic body has received 17 per cent more applications from mandals when compared to 2,507 applications in 2021, and 26 per cent more applications in comparison to the first pandemic year of 2020, when it got 2,048 applications. There has been a 4.5 per cent decrease in the number of applications in 2022 in comparison to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, when BMC had received 3,064 applications. Meanwhile, shortage of funds and donations during the pandemic have hit several small mandals, which have chosen to scale down their celebrations. Naresh Dahibawkar, president of Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, said the festival will be celebrated on a larger scale this year, as it is the first Ganesh festival post pandemic. “In 2020 and 2021, there were a lot of restrictions from the government, which have been removed this year.” “Last two years were financially difficult for many families. Small mandals have seen contributions from local community members dwindle. So, they will observe the festival for only one-and-a-half days. Many have choose to not erect pandals but will celebrate locally in housing society,” he said.
