Mumbai: High insurance, added safety & tech to mark Ganpati festival at prominent mandals

As the Ganpati festival comes closer, Ganpati mandals are rushing to have insurance cover for the festival. Leading the way with high insurance cover amount is the richest Ganpati Mandal in the city - the GSB Seva Mandal, King Circle. Most others have taken a similar insurance cover while some have increased the safety measures they deployed.

"We have taken an Insurance Cover of Rs 316.40 crores. Every single natural calamity and disaster is covered. The insurance covers mandap, jewellery of the Lord, our staff, devotees and our equipment," said Amit Pai of the GSB Seva Mandal. Two years ago the insurance over was around Rs 289 crore.

"The jump in insurance cover is due to the technical inputs we introduced. Two year break gave us time for tech innovation. These include QR code scanning for prasad, puja, back-end coupon etc. One can get details on our website www.gsbsevamandal.org.. We are trying to do things paperless this time. Tokens and receipts will me mailed, whatsapped and smsed," said Pai.

As per the policy, accidents, medical treatment it will lead to and death is also covered. "In case of a tragedy or loss of life, there is a cover of Rs 10 lakhs per person," said Pai. The insurance covers the 66.5 kg of gold and 330 kg of silver.

While GSB is giving per person insurance cover or Rs 10 lakhs, Lalbaugcha Raja, among the famous mandals is giving cover of Rs 5 lakhs per person. "Our total insurance cover of Rs 25.5 crores is of the same amount as it was two years ago," said Mangesh Dalvi of Lalbaugcharaja Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav Mandal.

Azad Nagar Sarvajanik Utsav Samiti (ANSUS - Andhericha Raja), a prominent Ganpati mandal in suburbs, which is still working our its coverage amount said that they are introducing some precautionary measured. "This time we are having beds and doctors at hand so that ready help is available," said Uday Salian, spokesperson of ANSUS.