Mumbai Ganeshotsav 2026 began with thousands of devotees visiting Lalbaugcha Raja, prompting Mumbai Police to impose road closures, diversions and no-parking restrictions around Lalbaug and Kalachowki from September 14 to September 25. The restrictions have been introduced to manage the movement of devotees and vehicles during the 12-day festival.
Large crowds began gathering near the Lalbaugcha Raja pandal from midnight on the first day, with long queues forming for darshan. A devotee cited by Mid-Day said the waiting time for Mukh Darshan was around two hours. The festival attracts visitors from across Mumbai and other areas, making the roads around the pandal a high-pressure zone for both pedestrians and motorists.
According to a notification issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, South Traffic, vehicular traffic will be prohibited for 24 hours as required on several routes. These include the southbound carriageway of Dr BR Ambedkar Road between Comrade Krishna Desai Chowk, Bharat Mata Junction and Hansraj Rathod Chowk, Bawla Compound Junction; Mahadeo Palav Marg between Shingate Master Chowk and Comrade Krishna Desai Chowk; Dattaram Lad Marg between Udipi Hotel and Shantaram Pujare Chowk, Sardar Hotel; Ganesh Nagar Lane, Chivda Galli; Dinshaw Petit Lane; and Dr SS Rao Road between Sadashiv Gopal Naik Chowk and Lalbaug Police Chowki.
Motorists travelling southbound on Dr BR Ambedkar Road towards CSMT have been advised to use the Lalbaug flyover or travel through Comrade Krishna Desai Chowk, the Currey Road Bridge, Shingate Master Chowk, NM Joshi Road, Comrade Ganacharya Chowk and Abdul Hamid Ansari Chowk before continuing towards South Mumbai. An alternative route runs through Jibjibhai Lane, Sadashiv Gopal Naik Chowk, Shree Sai Baba Marg, GD Ambekar Road, Barrister Nath Pai Road and P D Mello Road.
For traffic affected by the closure of Mahadeo Palav Marg, the police have advised motorists to use Shingate Master Chowk, NM Joshi Marg, Chinchpokli Junction, Saint Jagnade Maharaj Chowk and Comrade Krishna Desai Chowk. No-parking restrictions have also been imposed on Dr BR Ambedkar Road, Sane Guruji Marg, Dattaram Lad Marg, Ganesh Nagar Lane, Dinshaw Petit Lane, Barrister Nath Pai Road, GD Ambekar Road, Dr SS Rao Road and several adjoining roads.
The first day also brought reports of access and service difficulties. Some devotees reportedly gathered near a police chowki after information about special passes circulated among the crowd, although police personnel denied entry to people seeking them. The report also noted complaints about the availability of drinking water and mobile toilets near the queue. Commuters travelling from Dadar station said some taxi operators were quoting fares of around Rs 200-250 for the journey to Lalbaug instead of using the meter, while taxis found farther from the station were reportedly charging about Rs 70 for the same trip.
The Lalbaugcha Raja pandal features a Gopuram-inspired entrance, with a large Shiva idol holding a damaru and kamandalu and raising one hand in a blessing gesture. The structure has become a prominent visual feature for devotees approaching the venue. The traffic restrictions and diversions will remain in force through September 25, with enforcement continuing as required during the festival period.
