BMC asks mandals to stop digging roads for adverts this Ganeshotsav

With Ganeshotsav only almost a month away, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has granted organisers the permission to construct mandals for the festival. However, keeping in mind the inconvenience caused to people, the civic body has ordered the mandal organisers to refrain from digging up roads to erect poles to put up advertisements.

In spite of a ban on illegal banners, many famous mandals have been involved in this practice in the past. The problem of potholes was discussed at length in the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanavay Samiti (BSGSS) and BMC's previous meeting.

There are about 11,000 mandals in the city and if each of them dug at least five holes, the issue of potholes will only become worse. About 70 per cent of the time, mandals dig up holes to put up advertisements, claims the BMC.

Additional municipal commissioner, SVR Srinivas, told sunday mid-day, "Why waste money by filling potholes later, when it can be controlled in the first place? We have asked them (the mandal organisers) to control the digging of roads for advertisement purposes and they have agreed."

Naresh Dahibavkar, president of the BSGSS, said, "The mandals' sponsors need publicity, for which the advertisements are necessary. But we have informed the mandals about this after the BMC's request."