Metro fences to make way for Ganesh idols in Dadar

Owing to space crunch and roads getting narrower due to ongoing construction of Metro corridors in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has this year in collaboration with Metro authorities decided to allow movement of Ganesh idols inside Metro barricades wherever possible.

For now, several stretches in Mahim and Dadar have been chalked out where the transit of idols can be done by walking inside the Metro barricades during the idols’ arrival to pandals and immersion in the sea.

According to BMC officials, currently the arrangement is only limited to Mahim and Dadar at the construction sites of the Colaba-Seepz Metro-3 underground corridor. Later, if possible, a similar arrangement could be made at other stretches by coordinating with Metro and traffic police authorities.

However, an official from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is executing the construction of Metro corridors in western and eastern suburbs, said such an arrangement will not be possible on corridors they are involved in.

Kiran Dighavkar, assistant commissioner, G North Ward, BMC, said, “The arrangement is being made on several stretches like Gokhale Road in Dadar, LJ Road and Sitladevi Temple area in Mahim where the vehicular movement will remain unaffected even as Ganesh procession is taking place.”

The execution of Metro-3 underground corridor is being done by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC). An MMRC spokesperson said, “MMRC on request of traffic police and BMC has facilitated access to trollies carrying heavy Ganesha idols via (Metro construction) sites by following all safety protocols.”

An MMRDA official said, “For our Metro barricades it will not be possible because we are building elevated corridors. Metro-3 is an underground corridor, so maybe the site conditions allow (such an arrangement) there.”