Thane: 192 Festival Applications Pending Amid Civic Delays

A wave of uncertainty has swept across festive committees in Thane as administrative backlogs at the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) delay official permits for temporary pavilions (mandaps).

According to official figures released by the civic body on September 1, a staggering 192 applications for Dahi Handi and Ganeshotsav celebrations remain pending, leaving organisers scrambling to make last-minute arrangements.

With Dahi Handi just three days away, only 28 of the 55 applications submitted across the city's 10 ward committees have been cleared. The offline-heavy submission process has further slowed operations—50 applications were filed manually in person, while only five were logged through the civic portal.

A similar bottleneck faces Ganeshotsav organisers; out of 174 applications filed through August 31 (111 online and 63 offline), the municipality has granted permission to just nine groups, leaving 165 applications unresolved.

Organisers have raised serious concerns about the delay, which is compromising their preparation timeline. They are running out of time to construct stages and ensure basic public safety measures.

A representative from a local public festival committee in Thane stated that they have submitted all required documentation, yet they are left waiting for clearances. Without official mandap permits, they cannot finalise stage setup, arrange temporary electricity connections, or coordinate local traffic management safely.

Ward-level figures highlight uneven clearance rates across the municipality. In Majiwada-Manpada, which logged the highest number of Ganeshotsav applications at 33 (13 online and 20 offline), not a single permit has been issued.

Lokmanya Nagar-Savarkar Nagar faces an identical situation, with zero approvals granted out of 24 applications. For Dahi Handi, Vagle Ward received 10 applications with six approved, while areas like Diva received zero clearances despite receiving applications.

Civic officials have cited inspections as the reason for the delay, stating that safety audits and site inspections naturally take time. They are working round the clock to clear all compliant pending files as quickly as possible to ensure celebrations proceed without disruption.

However, festive committees warn that continued delays could disrupt the region's most celebrated seasonal traditions.

The delay in permits has significant implications for the city's festive celebrations, which are an integral part of Thane's cultural heritage. The TMC must work efficiently to clear the pending applications and ensure that the celebrations proceed smoothly.

In conclusion, the delay in permits for Dahi Handi and Ganeshotsav celebrations in Thane has raised serious concerns among local festival organisers. The TMC must take immediate action to clear the pending applications and ensure that the celebrations proceed without disruption.