Mumbai Ganeshotsav rain disrupted preparations at several major mandals on Sunday, with waterlogging, leaks, damaged paintwork and electrical hazards forcing organisers to reinforce pandals and revise queue arrangements before devotees begin visiting for darshan.
Families arriving to collect Ganpati idols on the eve of the festival faced persistent showers, while mandals across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai worked to complete finishing tasks under difficult conditions. Organisers at Chinchpokli Cha Chintamani and Navi Mumbaicha Raja said preparation work had slowed or stalled because of the rain.
“We are closing the ‘finishing work’ and line management but due to rain we have to take cautious steps,” said Deven Jadhav of Chinchpokli Cha Chintamani.
At Navi Mumbaicha Raja, heavy rain since Sunday morning caused leakages inside the pandal, waterlogging outside and damage to some paintwork, according to mandal president Ankush Vaiti. Electrical work also became more difficult as organisers reinforced the pandal and queue arrangements for devotees.
“Heavy rains since this morning have significantly impacted our preparations. There are leakages inside the pandal, the outside area is waterlogged, and some of the paint work is getting damaged,” Vaiti said. He added that the mandal was working to keep preparations on schedule, but expressed concern that continued rain during Ganeshotsav could discourage devotees from stepping out and affect turnout.
At Mumbadevi Cha Ganraj mandal in Bhuleshwar market near Charni Road station, volunteers used additional tarpaulin and plastic sheets to protect the idol and prepared a canopy for the darshan waiting area. The mandal also insulated and covered electrical wires. Secretary Deepak Pawar said the location receives lakhs of passersby and visitors, increasing the need for protection against rain-related risks.
The mandal was also preparing to bring in its smaller utsav moorti, made from shadu mati, or clay, and planned to cover it during transport because of the weather. Wooden platforms, which help devotees avoid walking through wet maidans and narrow alleys, were also being prepared. Lal Maidan Ganeshotsav in Parel constructs such a platform every year.
The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti issued an advisory to mandals on Sunday afternoon, asking them to ensure the safety of devotees, volunteers, idols and temporary structures. Its instructions covered the strength and security of pandals, tarpaulin, tin sheds, roofs, iron structures, electrical connections and generator back-up.
The Samiti specifically warned mandals to ensure that electrical connections and loose wires were not located near areas where water accumulates. The advisory places temporary festival infrastructure under heightened scrutiny as organisers manage large public gatherings during continuous rainfall.
Volunteers at Khetwadicha Raja and other nearby mandals remained awake through the night to deal with the downpour and meet preparation deadlines. Organisers across the city are continuing reinforcement and protection work before the festival begins, with safety arrangements and weather conditions expected to determine how smoothly devotees can access the mandals.
