August 13, 2025: Mumbai’s Ganpati mandals have taken a firm stand against the civic body’s steep hike in road-digging penalties, declaring they will not pay unless potholes on key city roads and the Mumbai–Goa highway are repaired. The standoff has sparked debate over balancing infrastructure protection with preparations for the upcoming Ganesh festival.
Under the revised policy, the fine for digging concrete roads to install bamboo poles for mandaps has jumped from ₹2,000 to ₹15,000 per hole. Civic officials say the increase is needed to protect newly concretised roads, as re-laying damaged concrete is far more expensive than asphalt repairs. The city’s cement concretisation drive also bars any trenching for three years after a road is completed.
Mandals counter that the government should ensure pothole-free roads before penalising festival-related works. They argue that temporary road modifications for mandap setups have long been permitted, and steep fines on poor road surfaces unfairly punish citizens for civic lapses.
Civic engineers note that many mandals have turnovers running into crores, making the earlier fines ineffective as a deterrent. They warn that indiscriminate digging could compromise costly infrastructure upgrades meant to serve the public throughout the year.
The dispute emerges as the festival season approaches, with civic teams balancing monsoon repairs and pre-festival sanitation. Traditionally, festival-related road works have been managed through coordination, but this year’s tougher rules risk straining relations.
Adding to the tensions is the upcoming ban on Plaster of Paris idols from next year, part of a broader push for sustainable celebrations. Community leaders say such measures are being introduced without proper consultation, creating friction rather than cooperation.
For now, the deadlock underscores a larger question—how to reconcile Mumbai’s cultural traditions with the needs of modern infrastructure and environmental responsibility.
Source: Urban Acres
