Cuttack has prepared temporary immersion ponds, lifting equipment, restricted access and extensive surveillance for Thursday’s Durga Puja idol immersion, as more than 150 puja committees are expected to bring their idols to Devigada near the Kathajodi river embankment.
The Cuttack Municipal Corporation has created three temporary, polythene-lined ponds at Devigada, each about eight feet deep, to prevent idols and immersion materials from entering the river. Another pond has been dug at Gopalpur for committees from the outskirts. Hydra machines will be used to lift idols and assist with the immersion process.
Mayor Subash Singh and municipal commissioner Kirandeep Kaur Sahota reviewed the arrangements on Wednesday. Barricading, festive illumination and light towers have been installed at the immersion ghat, while a well has been dug to ensure adequate water supply at the site.
Cuttack mahanagar Shanti Committee president Debendranath Sahu said processions would begin at 10 am after the ‘melani’ ritual. Puja committees will follow designated routes to Devigada, while some committees from peripheral areas will proceed to Gopalpur. The processions, accompanied by traditional folk dance groups and musicians, are expected to continue through the night.
The use of DJ music has been prohibited during the immersion ceremony. The restriction is part of the civic and policing arrangements for managing large processions through the city and reducing disruption along the traditional immersion route.
Civic officials said excavators, tractors and other vehicles had been deployed to clear the temporary ponds promptly after the immersion. Several sanitation teams will also be stationed at the sites. The use of artificial ponds is intended to reduce pollution in the Kathajodi river while allowing the civic body to manage the removal of immersion debris in a controlled area.
Access to the river embankment has been restricted, with the designated entrance at Devigada serving as the sole access point for idols moving towards the immersion site. The traditional route from College Square to Devigada at Purighat passes through Ranihat, Manglabag, Nuapatna, Cantonment Road, Mastan Road, Mani Sahu Chakh, Buxi Bazaar, Barapathar, Tinkonia Bagicha, Dargha Bazaar, Jail Road and Choudhury Bazaar.
Commissionerate police have installed or deployed more than 1,300 CCTV cameras to monitor the route and maintain security during the processions. Two special fire service units will remain stationed at Devigada, adding emergency response capacity at the main immersion location.
The arrangements place the immersion operation under a coordinated system involving the municipal corporation, police, fire services, sanitation teams and puja committees. The civic body’s immediate next steps are to manage the processions through the designated access points, complete the immersion and clear the temporary ponds and surrounding areas after the ceremony.
