Mumbai | September 11, 2026
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde on Thursday reviewed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s preparations for Ganesh idol immersion ahead of Ganeshotsav 2026, directing civic officials to keep procession routes free of obstacles, expand artificial immersion lakes and strengthen facilities for devotees across the city.
Tawde inspected natural immersion sites and artificial lakes on September 10 and said the arrangements made by the civic administration were satisfactory, according to a report by Mid-Day. She asked officials to ensure that devotees and public Ganeshotsav mandals do not face inconvenience during the arrival of idols and the subsequent immersion process.
The inspection tour began at the Gateway of India and included Swarajya Bhoomi, Girgaon Chowpatty, Lotus Jetty in Worli, the BMC Sports Hall near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Maidan in Dadar, Keluskar Marg North and Shiv Lake in Sion. The mayor reviewed civic services, facilities and security arrangements at both natural immersion locations and artificial lakes.
Tawde directed officials to make additional artificial lakes available for devotees and to take steps to speed up immersion at natural sites. She also instructed the civic administration to install information boards explaining that Ganesh idol immersion and other civic facilities are being provided free of cost.
Safety and basic services were also part of the review. The mayor asked officials to ensure adequate lifeguards at immersion locations, increase the number of mobile toilets and provide drinking water facilities in view of the expected influx of devotees. Officials were also directed to ensure that immersion procession routes remained clear of obstructions.
At Swarajya Bhoomi, Tawde instructed civic officials to ensure that fertiliser is produced from Nirmalya, the floral and other religious waste collected after idol immersion. The direction forms part of the civic administration’s arrangements for an eco-friendly festival, although the report does not specify the quantity of waste expected to be processed or the timeline for the fertiliser initiative.
The BMC has also released its Shri Ganeshotsav 2026 Information Booklet. Tawde released the booklet at the Mayor’s Hall at BMC headquarters on Thursday. It contains information on natural and artificial immersion lakes, civic services and facilities, and the entry form for the Shri Ganesh Gaurav Puraskar competition for public Ganeshotsav mandals.
The civic administration’s preparations cover the movement of idols to immersion locations, facilities for devotees and arrangements at the sites on the festival days. The mayor’s directions focused on access, safety, faster processing at natural sites, sanitation, drinking water and information for visitors. Further operational details, including the total number of artificial lakes, lifeguards and mobile toilets, were not specified in the supplied report.
