More than 36,000 Ganesh idols had been immersed across Mumbai by 6 pm on Saturday, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s latest update, with the civic body reporting 36,268 immersions during the city’s Anant Chaturdashi celebrations.
The updated count included 7,051 public Ganesh idols, 28,657 household idols and 560 Gauri idols. The figure was higher than the BMC’s earlier update issued at 3 pm, which had recorded 36,240 immersions and described the number as the 11th-day total. The civic body’s earlier release had placed the overall number of idols immersed during this year’s Ganeshotsav at 199,185.
The main Anant Chaturdashi immersion ceremony at Swrajyabhoomi Girgaum Chowpatty was held on Friday. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Union Minister of State Ramdas Athawale, ministers, political leaders, senior officials, diplomats and foreign nationals were among those present, according to the report.
The BMC said immersions were carried out at 67 natural sites and through more than 383 artificial ponds at 278 locations across Mumbai. In accordance with Bombay High Court directions, artificial ponds were arranged for idols measuring up to six feet. The civic body also provided more than 940 metric tonnes of shadu clay and 25,400 litres of eco-friendly colours free of cost to support lower-impact celebrations.
More than 25,000 BMC officers and employees were deployed for the immersion arrangements. The civic body kept 1,194 steel plates, 23 German rafts, 34 cranes, 85 ambulances and 10 motorboats ready at immersion sites. A total of 1,132 lifeguards were deployed, while 6,052 floodlights and searchlights were arranged for night-time immersions.
The BMC also set up 261 reception centres, 228 control rooms and 75 observation towers for crowd management, citizen guidance and coordination among agencies. It made 489 temporary toilets available at immersion locations. At Girgaum Chowpatty, arrangements included 12 artificial ponds, 20 observation towers, 22 rafts, 90 toilets and 2,000 personnel, along with a primary health centre, three ambulances, 548 floodlights and 11 searchlights.
An Emergency Management Control Room at Girgaum Chowpatty included representatives from the BMC, BEST, Mumbai Police, Mumbai Fire Brigade, the health department, the National Disaster Response Force and the Aniruddha Academy of Disaster Management. The facility used mobile phones, digital mobile radio and HAM radio systems for emergency coordination. The BMC also said it had trained 725 volunteers from public Ganesh mandals as first responders in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Waste management formed another part of the civic operation. The BMC’s Solid Waste Management Department deployed 613 nirmalya kalash and 838 vehicles for the collection of floral offerings and other festival waste. By 4 pm on September 26, the civic body said 934.26 metric tonnes of nirmalya had been collected.
The BMC said its arrangements, along with cooperation from government and semi-government agencies, public Ganesh mandals, volunteers and citizens, helped ensure the smooth conduct of the immersion festivities. Under the One Ganpati One Tree initiative, the civic body also aims to plant as many trees as the number of Ganesh idols immersed within its limits.
