Mumbai Ganesh mandap electrical safety has come under urgent scrutiny after two people, including an eight-year-old girl, died in an electric shock incident at the Mahaganpati festival mandap in Kalachowki. The Brihanmumbai Public Ganeshotsav Coordination Committee has appealed to all public Ganesh mandals to immediately inspect their electrical systems and stop using any connection until identified faults are repaired.
The incident occurred near the entrance of the Mahaganpati mandap on Dattaram Lad Marg at around 2.45 am on Sunday, according to a report by Loksatta – Mumbai. A short circuit reportedly occurred near a drinking water and cold-drink stall, after which electrical current spread through the area. Two people died and four others were injured. The deceased included eight-year-old Ragini Yadav.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety arrangements at festival venues, where large crowds gather around temporary structures fitted with decorative lighting, sound systems and other electrical equipment. The committee has asked Ganesh mandals to treat electrical safety as a priority from the installation of the mandap through to immersion-related activities.
The appeal covers the inspection of electrical connections, wires, switches, earthing systems and equipment used for illumination. Mandals have also been asked to maintain an arrangement that allows power to be switched off immediately during an emergency. The committee said that decorative lighting must not take precedence over the safety of devotees.
The safety instructions also take account of the risk created by rain and moisture inside or around temporary mandap structures. Organisers have been urged to ensure that electricity can be disconnected quickly if an emergency occurs and to check fire-safety measures at the venue. The committee has further called for strict compliance with electrical safety instructions issued by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking, or BEST.
The Kalachowki incident has also led to scrutiny of the mandal’s safety arrangements. Loksatta reported that a complaint had recently been filed with the Human Rights Commission in connection with the incident. The available report did not provide details of the commission’s proceedings or any findings.
Temporary festival installations present a specific safety challenge because electrical systems, public movement and weather exposure operate in a crowded and rapidly changing environment. At a mandap entrance, stalls, lighting, wiring and queues can be located close to one another, increasing the importance of proper insulation, earthing, inspection and emergency access. The committee’s appeal places responsibility on organisers to check the installation before continuing its use.
The committee has asked all public Ganesh mandals in Mumbai to conduct the inspections without delay and to keep faulty electrical connections disconnected until repairs are completed. It has also called for safety precautions to remain in place throughout the festival period, including during the eventual dismantling and immersion-related operations.
