Empty Ganesh mandals a roadblock

Ganeshotsav is over, but civic officials seem to be sleeping over the issue of mandals not removing poles and frames erected for displaying advertisements, inviting the ire of residents.

City devotees had bid adieu to Lord Ganesha on September 8.

According to local residents, few of the mandals had erected around 50 poles and wooden frames for advertisements along Tilak Road, connecting Dadar TT to Wadala and also Jame Jamshed Marg, Matunga.

"The Ganeshotsav is over long back. But the bamboos are yet to be removed. We are not against any mandal, but the wooden frames are causing inconvenience to pedestrians," said Nikhil Desai, a member of NGO AGNI and a King's Circle resident.

Desai, who raised the matter before higher municipal authorities, slammed local civic officials for not doing their job of taking action when the roads/footpath have continued to remain occupied.

"If a mandal is not following norms, then the onus is on the BMC to remove the poles. The deputy municipal commissioner for this zone (II), Anand Waghralkar, was BMC's nodal officer during the Ganeshotsav. But he has not done anything to remove the frames," said Desai, adding that the potholes created due to the bamboos must be filled on a priority basis.

Despite repeated attempts, Waghralkar remained unavailable for a comment. But, another officer requesting anonymity, said, "We will look into the complaint. If the bamboos are there illegally, we will remove them."