MESSAGE BOARD
NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Khairnar threatens to demolish Tilak Nagar Ganesh pandal

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Officer on Special Duty G R Khairnar has threatened to demolish the Tilak Nagar Ganesh pandal in Northeast Bombay, if organisers failed to get necessary permission by midnight Wednesday.

Khairnar has declared the 65 feet high structure, a replica of the Dakshineshwar Temple in Calcutta costing over Rs 2.5 million, as 'illegal'.

The M-ward has permission to utilise 180x20 square metres on a public playground in Tilak Nagar for the pandal.

But the organisers, "who deal with huge finances given by underworld don Chhota Rajan have exceeded the limit, in addition to making a huge structure," Khairnar told PTI in Bombay Wednesday.

The Sahyadri Krida Mandal, which takes all the permissions every year from police as well as ward office, do not have the permission for erecting such a huge structure, he said.

The mandal for the last 23 years has been erecting replicas of various historic monuments in the country for the 10-day Ganapati festival, a huge attraction for Bombayites.

Although the structure is of temporary nature and meant for ten days only, since it did not have proper permission it is considered 'illegal', Khairnar said.

He said he would consult his seniors and take a decision in two days if the organisers failed to get the permission in the stipulated time.

Tell us what you think of this report