This Ganesh festival, Mumbai will see 12,000 community (‘sarvajanik’) Ganesh mandals, of which 3000 are large-scale, along with more than two lakh household celebrations, according to the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti (BSGSS). On Tuesday, the Samiti appealed to all mandals and wrote to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai police, seeking support on issues such as waterlogging during expected rains, fire safety, health and hygiene, and law and order around mandals.

A Ganesh idol is transported from Chinchpokli West ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi. PIC/ASHISH RAJE

In view of the upcoming municipal elections, the BSGSS has urged mandals to keep politics out of the festival. “The Maharashtra government has declared this year’s Ganeshotsav a state festival. The responsibility of mandals has increased to make it more disciplined and devotional. This year is special as municipal elections are due soon, but we appeal to all mandals to keep Ganeshotsav away from politics,” the Samiti said in a statement.