State govt to celebrate Ganesh festival on a grand scale this: Ajit Pawar

Pune, Aug 22 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said the state government was making elaborate plans to celebrate the upcoming Ganesh festival on a grand scale this year.

The state government recently accorded "official state festival" status to the 10-day Ganesh festival that begins on August 27 this year.

Pawar held a meeting of officials of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the district collectorate and te police department to discuss the planning of Ganeshotsav.

"This year, the state government has decided to celebrate the Ganeshotsav as a state festival. It is always celebrated with great fanfare, but to make it grander, the state machinery will work during the festival," he said.

A decision has been made that the Metro train in Pune city will operate (for 20 hours) between 6 am and 2 am next day during the festival, and it will run round the clock on the last day of immersion, he said.

According to Pawar, office-bearers of some Ganesh mandals here met him and sought permission for starting the procession to immerse the idols at 7 am, before the procession of five 'manache' (revered) Ganapti.

There are five manache Ganpati in Pune - Kasba Ganpati, Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganpati, Guruji Talim Ganpati, Tulsibaug Ganpati and Kesari Wada Ganpati.

"Usually, the immersion procession of manache Ganpati starts at 10 am. I told the officials to ensure if the manache Ganapati can start the procession around 9 am. Since it is a state festival now, we need to cooperate with each other and celebrate the festival without allowing any disputes," he said. PTI SPK NP