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Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa · Roll No. MAH/5287/2023 tamashaikh123@gmail.com
Adv. Tamanna ShaikhAdvocate · Malad West, Mumbai
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Chhath Puja in Mumbai: BMC Sites, Artificial Ponds, Permissions for Committees and Safety

Lakhs of devotees offer arghya at Juhu, Banganga, lakes and artificial ponds during Chhath Puja. BMC provides designated sites and artificial ponds, but committees building their own ponds or using grounds need permission. The process, loudspeaker and safety rules, and what to do if a permission is revoked.

Illustration: committee members with a model artificial pond reviewing a Chhath Puja permission with a woman advocate

Last updated 20 October 20262 min readBy Adv. Tamanna Shaikh, Advocate, MAH/5287/2023

On this page
  1. BMC’s arrangements
  2. For Chhath committees
  3. Safety at beaches and lakes
  4. Cleanliness
  5. More festival guides

Chhath Mahaparv has become one of Mumbai’s major festivals, with devotees offering arghya to the setting and rising sun at Juhu Beach, Banganga Tank, lakes and dozens of artificial ponds. BMC, the police and Chhath committees share the arrangements. This guide explains the permissions and rules. Chhath Puja in 2026 falls in mid-November.

BMC’s arrangements

  • BMC designates puja sites across the city (in recent years, more than 60 locations) and sets up artificial ponds and tanks at many of them (around 148 in one recent year).
  • Sites usually have lighting, drinking water, changing rooms for women, toilets, medical teams and ambulances.
  • Check BMC’s announcement for the list of sites in your ward.

For Chhath committees

ActivityPermission
Building an artificial pond, or using a municipal groundBMC ward office (Assistant Commissioner)
Pandal, stage or temporary structure on public landBMC, with police and traffic NOCs
Loudspeakers and cultural programmesWritten police permission, within noise limits and timings
Collecting donations from the publicSection 41C permission from the Charity Commissioner, if the committee is not a registered trust

Apply early, keep written permissions, and comply with conditions. In 2022, the Bombay High Court set aside a BMC decision that revoked a committee’s permission for a Chhath pond at Ghatkopar and granted it to another group, holding that a validly granted permission could not be withdrawn arbitrarily. If a permission is revoked, ask for written reasons and take advice quickly.

Safety at beaches and lakes

  • Stay within marked areas and follow lifeguards’ and police instructions; tides and currents at Juhu can be dangerous, especially in the dark.
  • Do not let children go into the water unattended.
  • Use designated changing rooms.

Cleanliness

Offerings, flowers and plastic should be placed in the collection bins provided, not left in the water or on the beach. Littering in public places can attract fines under municipal rules.

Frequently asked questions

Can we build a Chhath pond in our society compound?

Yes, with the managing committee’s approval. Use loudspeakers only with police permission and within noise limits.

Do we need police permission to go to Juhu for arghya?

Individual devotees do not. Organised groups with loudspeakers, stages or processions do.

See also: procession permissions and loudspeaker rules.

Planning ahead? See the festival permissions calendar 2026–27 for dates and when to start preparing, or all festival guides.

Related service: Festival and Event Permissions in Mumbai: Legal Guides

Consultations are by appointment. To fix a time, telephone +91 99301 50560 or send a message on WhatsApp.

This guide describes the position as understood in October 2026. BMC announces sites and arrangements afresh each year. It is not legal advice.

More festival guides

All festival permission guides

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