Mumbai: Lalbaugcha Raja insures devotees for tummy upsets

Don't let fears of food poisoning ‘upset' your pandal-hopping plans, as Lalbaugcha Raja has taken out a Rs 51-crore insurance to protect all his devotees this year. Anyone who visits Lalbaugcha Raja and happens to eat at any of the food stalls in a 5-km radius will now be insured for tummy upsets.

Also Read: Woman assaulted at Lalbaugcha Raja: 2 constables suspended for thrashing devotee

What's more, Mumbai's most famous Ganpati mandal is playing big brother to other mandals by taking a second insurance to cover festivities across the city. The first insurance is the larger one, worth Rs 51 crore, and covers any possible eventuality in a 5-km radius, from terror attacks to fires. It also insures Bappa's ornaments - around 4 to 5 kg of gold, as well as food served by vendors near Lalbaugcha Raja. The second insurance, worth Rs 5 crore, covers other mandals and lakhs of devotees who are part of the immersion processions. Balasaheb Kamble, president of Lalbaugcha Raja confirmed that both insurance plans have been finalised with New India Assurance and the premiums have been paid as well.

If there's something strange happening in your tummy, who you gonna call? Bappa! File pics

Kamble said, "This time we are also covering devotees against food poisoning. So, if a devotee comes here and has food - even if it from vendors outside - he or she will be covered if they suffer from food poisoning."

Read Story: It's raining gold and silver at Lalbaugcha Raja auction

The mandal has already paid a premium of Rs 13.19 lakh for the Rs 51-crore insurance plan that covers Lalbaugcha Raja. However, it is paying a higher premium for the R5-crore insurance since that covers Ganpati mandals all over Mumbai. "There are more than five to six lakh devotees who participate in the immersion process, and a similar number of people throng at the Chowpatty as well. Our Mumbai insurance covers all of this," said Kamble. The insurance period will kick in from September 5 and will end only after immersion.

Last year
In 2015, the mandal had taken out an insurance of Rs 51 crore. It covered the pandal, electricals, accident insurance for officials, volunteers and residents and also protected the idol and its ornaments. This year, the food poisoning provision is a new addition, as is the separate Rs 5-crore insurance for other mandals.