a day ago
Delay in police nod leaves Ganesh Mandal anxious, NOCs for 200 applications in limbo
Nagpur: Even as the Ganesh festival will commence from August 27, the mandatory permission process for mandals is moving at an alarmingly slow pace. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has received 204 online applications, but not a single final NOC was issued by August 15, leaving organisers anxious as they race against time to prepare pandals.
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Of the 204 applications, four have been rejected.
The final NOC depends on approvals from police, traffic, and fire departments. Organisers say the biggest hurdle is securing police department permission. Out of 204 applications, police cleared only 14. In comparison, the traffic department granted 45 approvals, while the fire department was the most proactive with 109 NOCs. Without police clearances, final approval cannot be granted.
NMC Dharampeth Zone, which tops the city with 30 applications, received only seven police NOCs, 10 traffic, and 14 fire approvals. Laxmi Nagar Zone, with 26 applications, has received six police, one traffic and 20 fire NOCs. In Hanuman Nagar, while the fire department cleared 14 of 18 cases, police are yet to act on a single application.
Some zones have seen zero police action despite heavy demand. Gandhibagh (25 applications), Satranjipura (12), Lakadganj (18), Ashi Nagar (7), and Mangalwari (35) remain completely untouched, even though traffic and fire clearances are partially in place.
Of the 15 applications from Nehru Nagar, the traffic department processed seven, but the fire department has not cleared a single case, while police issued just one NOC.
For Dhantoli zone has received one traffic and seven fire approvals, but no police clearance.
Police officers attribute the delay to a two-stage verification process. After an online application is received, the intelligence wing first inspects the pandal site and documents, followed by verification at the police station concerned.
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Only after both checks are complete, an NOC issued, they said and claimed that clearances will be given on priority from Monday onwards.
Officials acknowledge inter-departmental coordination is the weakest link in issuing final NOCs. Even as the clearances are awaited, most mandals have begun erecting pandals and welcome arches across the city. Organisers warned that if approvals continue to trickle in at this pace, the city risks last-minute chaos for Nagpur's biggest public celebration.
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Total applications received: 204
# NOCs issued
Police: 14
Traffic: 45
Fire: 109
Pending Police NOCs: 190
# ZONE-WISE STATUS
Zones | Applications | Under Process | Final NOC | Rejected
Laxmi Nagar | 26 | 25 | 0 | 1
Dharampeth | 30 | 29 | 0 | 1
Hanuman Nagar | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0
Dhantoli | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1
Nehru Nagar | 15 | 14 | 0 | 1
Gandhibagh | 25 | 25 | 0 | 0
Satranjipura | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0
Lakadganj | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0
Ashi Nagar | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0
Mangalwari | 35 | 35 | 0 | 0
* Blank applications | 7 |7 | 0 | 0
Total | 204 | 200 | 0 | 4
