After restrictions of two years on the celebrations, this year Ganesh festival will be celebrated enthusiastically throughout the city. Ganesh Mandal office-bearers and workers are fully charged up for the festive season as the BMC has lifted all the restrictions on gatherings and organising rallies in the city. Now, different mandals are busy setting up and decorating pandals. However, there are 13 dangerous bridges in the city that pose a threat to the processions taken out on the first and the last day of the festival.
Three years ago, the BMC had put in place some restrictions for the mandals for taking out processions on the 20 railway overbridges. Mandals were asked to go in a phased manner on the bridges. This was followed by several restrictions owing to the Covid pandemic 2020. A number of mandals were denied permission for celebrations while those celebrating it were asked to keep the heights of the Ganesh idols small.
Many mandals had cancelled celebrations voluntarily. However, this year, mandals are all excited to celebrate the festival for which the BMC has issued a list of dangerous bridges.
BMC has declared bridges at Curry Road station, Sane Guruji Marg at Chinchpokali railway station, Mandalik Bridge near Byculla station as the most dangerous. According to the officials, these bridges can't bear a load over 16 tonnes at a time. Hence it can impose few restrictions on these bridges.
Processions of Ganesh mandals from Chembur, Lalbaug, and Parel pass through Chinchpokali bridge to reach Girgaon Chowpatty. Moreover, the immersion procession of the famous Lalbaugcha Raja passes through the same bridge.
Names of the dangerous bridges:
Ghatkopar railway overbridge, Cury Road railway overbridge, Sane Guruji Marg ChinchPokali overbridge, Byculla bridge, Marine Lines overbridge, Sandhurst Road railway overbridge, French railway overbridge (bridge between Grant Road and Churniroad Station), Kenedy railway overbridge (Grant Road), Faulkland railway overbridge, (bridge between Grant Road and Mumbai Central stations), Belasis railway overbridge, Mahalaxmi railway overbridge, Prabhadevi Carol railway overbridge and Tilak bridge, Dadar.
