The city’s Ganesh festival preparations are in full swing, but the permission process is moving slower than many mandals would like. This year, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has received 366 online applications from Ganesh mandals seeking approval to erect pandals. As of Monday, only 89 mandals have been granted final permission, while 41 applications have been rejected outright.
The rest remain in the approval pipeline, where different departments play a crucial role. So far, the police department has cleared only 134 applications, the traffic department has approved 175, while the fire department has been most active, issuing 229 No Objection Certificates (NOCs).
Zone-wise, the picture is equally telling. Dharampeth Zone leads with 62 applications, followed by Laxminagar (42), Gandhibagh (41), and Lakadganj (38). In terms of approvals, Dharampeth has seen 19 clearances, Laxminagar 9, Gandhibagh 14, and Lakadganj 7. Other zones like Hanuman Nagar (35 applications, 3 permissions) and Dhantoli (16 applications, 4 permissions) are still lagging.
With Ganesh Chaturthi approaching, mandals are growing restless. Organizers argue that delays and rejections not only affect preparations but also dampen the festive spirit. Civic officials, however, stress that fire safety, traffic flow, and law-and-order considerations cannot be compromised.
As of now, the countdown to the festival continues, but hundreds of mandals are still waiting for the green signal — hoping their idols won’t be left stranded without a pandal.
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