Mumbai’s civic administration has set up 352 artificial ponds for Ganpati visarjan this year, allowing idols up to six feet in height to be immersed at designated local facilities instead of being taken to natural water bodies. The arrangement is intended to support environmentally safer celebrations and reduce confusion for devotees during immersion operations.
According to a report by Loksatta – Mumbai, 72 of the artificial ponds are located in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s F South, G South and G North administrative wards. These areas cover neighbourhoods including Dadar, Parel, Prabhadevi, Worli, Mahim, Shivdi, Kalachowki, Dharavi and Naigaon.
The municipal programme follows an order of the Bombay High Court requiring the immersion of smaller Ganpati idols in artificial ponds. The civic administration had introduced similar facilities last year, when they received a positive response from devotees, the report said. The number of ponds has been increased to 352 this year in response to that demand.
The facilities are particularly intended to assist residents whose idols are six feet or shorter. The use of neighbourhood ponds can reduce the need for devotees to travel to major immersion points, although the supplied report does not provide details of traffic restrictions, operating hours, crowd-management arrangements or the capacity of individual ponds.
Among the locations identified in the F South ward are Haji Bandar in Shivdi; Bhavanimate Kridangan Maidan in Shindewadi, Dadar East; Sadakant Dhavan Maidan on Govindji Keni Marg in Bhoiwada, Parel; Prabodhankar Thackeray Udyan on Acharya Donde Marg in Shivdi; and several grounds in and around Parel, Kalachowki, Naigaon and the BEST colony area.
Other listed sites include Matoshree Building Number 6 near Jerbai Wadia Marg, Kamgar Maidan near R. M. Bhatt School, Manoranjan Maidan on Gas Company Lane, Sadguru Bhalchandra Maidan on Anant Malvankar Marg, Godrej Maidan near Gundecha Garden, Lal Ota Maidan on N. L. Parelkar Marg, Devji Parab Maidan on Dattaram Lad Marg and the field opposite the O Block BEST colony.
The list also includes Shaheed Bhagat Singh Maidan in Abhyudaya Nagar, Vinayak Wable Maidan, Bal Vikas Manoranjan Maidan, the Sai Baba Path municipal school near Mint Colony and Purandare Maidan near S. S. Wagh in Naigaon. The report identifies these as part of the 72 artificial ponds located across the F South, G South and G North wards, but the supplied material does not provide the remaining locations or ward-wise operating details.
The municipal administration’s next step is to use these designated facilities for the immersion of eligible smaller idols during this year’s Ganpati festival. Devotees should confirm the nearest operational pond and any local instructions with the civic authorities before proceeding.
