Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma Visits Lalbaugcha Raja Amid Heavy Ganeshotsav Crowd

Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma visited the famous Lalbaugcha Raja pandal in Mumbai on Tuesday evening as thousands of devotees continued to take part in Ganeshotsav celebrations.

Members of the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal welcomed the Governor during his visit. Office-bearers, including Sudhir Salvi and Balasaheb Kambli, were present on the occasion.

The visit added to a series of visits by well-known public figures and dignitaries to the iconic Ganpati pandal during this year's festival.

Prominent Leaders Visit Lalbaugcha Raja

Several prominent personalities have visited Lalbaugcha Raja since the beginning of the Ganeshotsav celebrations. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor were among the visitors who offered prayers at the popular pandal.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also visited Lalbaugcha Raja with his family during the festival.

The arrival of high-profile visitors has attracted public attention, particularly because the pandal has been receiving a very large number of devotees each day. Long queues and heavy crowd movement have been reported around the area as people wait for darshan.

Lalbaugcha Raja Draws Lakhs of Devotees

The 93rd Lalbaugcha Raja Ganeshotsav began on September 14 and will continue through September 25. The festival will conclude with Ganesh idol immersion on Anant Chaturdashi.

Lalbaug has seen a strong flow of devotees from the opening day of the festival. People from different parts of Mumbai and other areas of Maharashtra have been visiting the pandal to seek blessings and take part in the celebrations.

The large turnout has created crowd management challenges at several locations. Police and local authorities have been working to regulate movement and maintain safety as devotees make their way through the busy festival area.

Mumbai Police Strengthen Traffic Arrangements

With large crowds expected throughout the festival, Mumbai Police have introduced traffic restrictions and diversions in and around Lalbaug and Kalachowki.

The measures came into effect on September 14 and are scheduled to remain in place until September 25. Depending on the crowd and traffic conditions, some road closures and diversions may remain active for extended periods.

Several important roads in the Lalbaug and Kalachowki areas have been restricted to regular vehicle movement to help manage congestion and provide smoother access for devotees.

The traffic arrangements are part of the wider effort to maintain orderly movement around one of Mumbai's busiest Ganeshotsav destinations during the festival.