Nagpur’s Lord Ganesha devotees can celebrate this year’s Ganeshotsav without worrying about idol height limits. The state government has already clarified the policy, and the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has prepared detailed guidelines, which will be formally announced by Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari during a joint meeting with police officials and Ganesh mandal representatives on Tuesday at 11 am at Suresh Bhat Auditorium, Reshimbagh.
A circular signed by Chaudhari was issued to department heads on Monday evening. As in previous years, idol immersion will be prohibited in natural water bodies, including Gorewada, Futala, Gandhisagar, Sonegaon, and Sakkardara lakes. Instead, large artificial tanks are being set up at Gorewada, Police Line Takli, and Kachchi Visa Bhavan in Lakadganj for big idols, along with smaller tanks for household immersions.
While no new rules have been introduced for Plaster of Paris (POP) idols, the state’s August 1 circular mandates that such idols must be immersed only in artificial tanks and cannot be sold as “clay idols.” The High Court has also prohibited the use of chemical and non-biodegradable paints. Idol makers are required to register at NMC zonal offices, with the deposit fee—reduced last year from ₹5,000 to ₹500—expected to remain unchanged. NMC has urged citizens to opt for clay idols under two feet for home worship.
For Ganesh mandals, online registration is available; 12 mandals registered on Sunday and another 10 on Monday, with final figures to be confirmed in Tuesday’s meeting. In a relief for organisers, all key fees have been waived this year, including the ₹200 inspection fee, deposits ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 for mandap permissions, and charges from the fire department, garden department, and property tax department—even for mandaps on private plots. The ₹500 cleanliness fee has also been scrapped.
The upcoming joint meeting will also review road repairs along procession routes, immersion arrangements, safety measures, and steps to curb POP idol usage. Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal, NMC Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari, and senior officials from both departments will attend to finalise the city’s festival preparations.
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