Mumbai: BMC to build 162 ponds for Ganesh idol immersions

The Ganesh festival will once again be celebrated enthusiastically in Mumbai – more than two years after COVID-19 put a dampener on festivities.

The state government recently lifted all pandemic-related restrictions and waived off the administration charges that the municipality collects from mandals. The BMC also issued guidelines to mandals to make them aware of their rules and responsibilities. Last week BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal released a booklet for mandal organisers with information on immersions.

This year the BMC plans to build 162 artificial ponds for idol immersion. Last year it had set up 173. There are also 73 natural water resources in the city. In addition, the municipality will deploy trucks with immersion facilities and idol collection centres in all 24 wards. The BMC has requested citizens to complete their prayers and other pre-immersion rituals at home to avoid overcrowding.

The civic body has published its website link – shreeganeshvisarjan.com – where citizens can enrol their details. This way the authorities can send details of immersion times and places directly to devotees’ phones. Further, the BMC will deploy cranes at natural immersion places to handle big idols.

In numbers

8,027 sarvajanik idols, 1,50,202 home idols and 6,532 Gauri idols immersed in natural water bodies in 2021.

3,502 sarvajanik idols, 72,388 home idols and 3,239 Gauri idols immersed in artificial ponds in 2021.

2022 dates

September 1, one-and-a-half day immersion

September 4, fifth day

September 5, sixth day, Gauri Ganesh immersion

September 6, seventh day

September 9, 10th day, Anant Chaturdashi

BMC facilities last year

210 steel plates on beaches so trucks will not get stuck

586 lifeguards

679 ambulance

60 floodlights

3,069 searchlights

71 primary health centres

155 waste bins

Published on: Sunday, August 21, 2022, 11:24 PM IST