Ganesh visarjan at Girgaum Chowpatty: VIPs burn a hole in BMC's pocket

Portable toilets at a Ganesh mandal in Girgaum Chowpatty. Pic/Suresh Karkera

The special arrangement for VIPs coming for the immersion procession at Girgaum Chowpatty has proved to be a costly affair for the civic body. A Right To Information (RTI) query has revealed that the Brihanmumabai Municipal Corporation (BMC) spent a whopping Rs 75 lakh during last year's immersion function, of which around Rs 2 lakh was spent on decoration and facilities for VIP dignitaries attending the event.

Every year, the BMC makes elaborate arrangements for the last day of Ganeshotsav.

A reply to an RTI query filed by activist Jeetendra Ghadge has revealed that in 2015, the BMC spent nearly R1 lakh (R98,500) on balloon decoration for the VIP shamiyana (stage), coolers and cafeteria, and another R1 lakh on platform toilets.

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The VIP stage is usually set up for important dignitaries, like the mayor, the chief minister and several other ministers, who attend the immersion function.

Ghadge expressed surprise over the huge expenditure for VIPs. "This huge pandal inside chowpatty serves no purpose except for VIPs and their families, who enjoy the visarjan programme at the expense of the tax payers. In fact, this pandal only adds to the congestion, when big idols enter chowpatty," said Ghadge. He added, "As far as the other expenses incurred by the BMC are concerned, the municipal commissioner should immediately order an inquiry."

Devidas Kshirsagar, assistant municipal commissioner of D ward, said, "I will have to check with the officer concerned about the expenditure incurred. Only then will I be able to comment in detail. We followed all the procedures during tendering and if anything went wrong, we will surely order an inquiry and take action."