The BMC has decided to charge Mumbai Marathon organisers for the permissions that are being granted by the civic body for the event. The corporation has permitted the organisers to erect pandals, hoardings, and use roads and footpaths for the marathon. It has been agreed that the BMC will clean the area prior to the event.

Elite international athletes, along with several Mumbaikars, were seen practising at the Marine Drive last evening. Pic/Bipin Kokate

The civic body has asked the organisers to cough up Rs 1.30 lakh for erecting pandals, Rs 30,000 for cleaning the venue prior to the event and Rs 9.52 lakh for the advertising. All of this is over and above the deposit of Rs 29 lakh that the BMC has taken from the organisers.

“If the organisers fail to clear the venue and leave it as it was before the event after the marathon, or of they erect more hoardings than permitted, we will cut the charges from the deposit,” said Deputy Municipal Commissioner Vasant Prabhu.

Till 2009, the BMC had provided the services without any charges. However, that year, the civic body had issued a bill of Rs 1.88 crore for services like medical pandals, marking lines, footpath kerbstones, pruning trees, providing fire brigades and also a disaster management team for emergency. The charges were later waived off after political interference.