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Pooja Essentials Are In High Demand At The APMC Market As Ganesh Chaturthi Approaches
A huge crowd was seen visiting APMC market ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.
The Essentials
With the Ganesh Chaturthi celebration nearing, Vashi’s APMC market is full of devotees buying puja supplies. The market is a flutter of colour with brightly coloured pooja products like vati, pat, chaurang, lamps, and the smell of different incense a week before Bappa’s arrival.
Devotees were excitedly purchasing the goods required for the puja of Lord Ganesha, even though there has been a considerable 20–25% increase in the pricing of pooja supplies compared to last year. Even more expensive products have witnessed price increases of 45–50%, including gold-plated lamps, vibrant garlands, crowns for Ganapati and Gauri, and aarti platters. The enthusiasts haven’t let that stop them, either, as they still buy these pricey materials.
Demand is strong for necessities such as ashtagandha, almonds, dried dates, honey, vati, haldi-kumkum, and attar. A wide range of incense kinds are available in the market, with popular scents including mogra, jai, jui, sandalwood, kewda, rose, and saffron. Furthermore, classic plain vatis need to gain ground to scented and colourful ones in terms of attention.
Additionally in high demand are designer materials like colourful lights, ottee plates for Gauri, and puja aarti plates. There’s a tangible enthusiasm for the Ganesh holiday as buyers buy everything from ashtagandha to haldi-kumkum and from kapar to incense. Complete pooja material boxes, which cost between Rs. 200 and Rs. 400 and contain everything needed for both Satyanarayan and Shri Ganesha pujas, are in high demand this year.
Devotees swarm the stores to get their necessary items for pooja, and the market is alive with bustle from early in the morning till late at night. The public’s response has not diminished despite price increases; many opt to buy all of their items at the Pooja Bhandar, where they may give a list and have everything ready for them.
The paat, which is used for Lord Ganesh’s Sthapana, is another important pooja object. Devotees’ attention is drawn to the abundance of eye-catching and varied paats and chowrangi available in the market this year. While traditional orange and red paats are still quite popular, gold-plated paats—which resemble gold and silver—are becoming more and more in demand. With prices starting at about Rs. 500, these more appealing paats are generating a lot of attention from customers.
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Three Detained For Kidnapping The Son Of A Contractor Owing To Unpaid Debt
The 28-year-old son of a Govandi contractor, who was allegedly kidnapped by three men last week over unpaid invoices for a building painting contract, was saved by Nerul police in less than a day. They detained the suspected kidnappers as well. Senior Nerul police inspector Brahmanand Naikwadi stated that in response to a complaint made by the contractor Saeed Shaikh (47), he obtained a contract to paint structures in Ulwe and Juinagar and awarded Chand Shaikh a subcontract.
Chand received a portion of Saeed’s payment for the work. A disagreement started when Saeed refuted Chand’s allegation that he owed him Rs 1.5 lakh, claiming that just Rs 32,000 remained unpaid. According to the police, Saeed indicated his hesitation to make the cash despite Chand’s continuous demands. On September 11, as Chand was overseeing the building site in Juinagar, he and his two assistants, Israil Shaikh (27), and Kausar Ali Haq (26), kidnapped Chand’s son, Shoaib. According to Naikwadi, Chand then got in touch with Saeed and asked for Rs 1.5 lakh as ransom to free Shoaib. Saeed went straight to the cops.
“A police squad was then established to find the alleged abductors. Using CCTV footage, we were able to identify the autorickshaw that the accused was using to take Shoaib away. Shoaib was freed within 24 hours after the kidnappers were located in Kandivali’s Lalaji Pada region thanks to technical know-how, according to the senior inspector.
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Kharghar-Belapur Coastal Road Project: CIDCO Is Seeking Tenders
The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) has initiated the design and construction of the Kharghar Coastal Road (KCR), a key project aimed at improving connectivity to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). Spanning 9.679 kilometres, the road will link Jalmarg Sector 16 in Kharghar to Belapur, with 2.986 kilometres utilizing existing infrastructure. The project, expected to be completed within 30 months, received Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in August.
The new road will feature stilt construction and ground-level reclamation, significantly enhancing connectivity in Navi Mumbai. It will connect Kharghar station to Belapur, running parallel to NMIA, with links to the PMAY Housing Scheme and Delhi Public School (DPS) in Nerul. According to reports, the first 90 days will focus on design and approvals, with the remaining 823 days dedicated to construction.
A CIDCO official noted that the KCR will improve access to NMIA, the Nerul Water Terminal, Kharghar, and the International Corporate Park, reducing traffic on the Sion-Panvel Highway. The route will pass through Belapur and cross Amra Marg, connecting to an elevated road near the Nerul Water Transport Terminal and Palm Beach Marg.
In addition, construction has started on the 5.8-kilometre Ulwe Coastal Road, which will connect NMIA to Atal Setu, providing a direct route for vehicles from Mumbai. These projects are set to significantly enhance airport access and improve travel efficiency in the region.
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Celebrate 31 years of Ganeshotsav with Shivtej Mitra Mandal!
Known as “Navi Mumbaicha Kaiwari,” Shivtej Mitra Mandal Sanpada was founded in 1994 and is commemorating 31 years of supporting cultural and social welfare initiatives during Ganeshotsav. It was the first Ganeshotsav Mandal in the Sanpada division and has always taken the initiative to plan meaningful social projects.
Over the years, the mandal has been renowned for its community service, including events like honoring senior citizens, tree planting drives, blood donation camps, health camps, and cultural programs for women. This year, their Ganesh idol stands an impressive 15 feet tall, symbolizing devotion and grandeur.
In addition to these cultural and social activities, Shivtej Mitra Mandal places a strong emphasis on environmental conservation. Devotees and chief guests are welcomed with saplings, highlighting the importance of protecting the environment. Social activist Nilesh Kachare has taken this initiative further by distributing “Tree plant and Beej Modak (Seed Modak),” promoting environmental awareness among visitors.
The Mandal has received numerous accolades, including third prize in the “Ganpati Majha Utsavatla Raja” competition in 2018, as well as several nominations in NMMC Mayor Shree Ganesh Darshan and Loksatta’s Ganesh Utsav Murti reader’s choice awards.
Founded by Anil Shilkar, and currently led by President Sagar Gadge, Vice President Mangesh Kadam, Secretary Vishal Kadam, Treasurer Nilesh Kachare, and joint-treasurer Pratik Bhosale, Shivtej Mitra Mandal continues to uphold its values of social responsibility, cultural celebration, and environmental conservation.
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