Preparations for Ganeshotsav are in their final stage, but this year Nagpur has seen an unusual hurdle—nearly one in five public Ganesh mandals has failed to secure approval from the civic authorities.
According to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) data, 1,040 public mandals filed applications to set up pandals across the city. Of these, 14 were incomplete and discarded, while 186 (17.88%) were outright rejected. Officials cited lack of mandatory No Objection Certificates (NOCs), ongoing construction, and traffic congestion as the main reasons.
So far, 536 mandals (51.53%) have cleared all requirements, including approvals from the police, fire brigade and traffic department, and have been granted final permission. Another 304 applications (29.23%) are still being processed, with officials under pressure to wrap up scrutiny within the next three days before the festival begins.
Civic sources said the rejection percentage is higher than in previous years, pointing to road-widening, metro and other infrastructure projects that have restricted available public space. Some mandals were also found to have submitted applications at the last minute, complicating clearances.
With elections around the corner, observers note that Ganesh mandals continue to hold political significance, as leaders often use them for outreach during the festive season.
Despite the setbacks, officials stressed that more than half of the city’s mandals have already secured approvals, ensuring the majority of celebrations will go ahead smoothly. The final round of permissions is expected just before Ganeshotsav begins.
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