Mumbai’s civic body BMC gears up for Ganesh festival

MUMBAI, (PTI): With the ten-day Ganesh festival set to begin on Wednesday sans any COVID-19 restrictions after a gap of two years, the Mumbai civic body has geared up to ensure that the festival passes off without any hiccups.

Among other measures, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set up 188 control rooms in 24 civic wards across the city.

At least 10,000 civic employees including officials have been directed to ensure that the festival passes off peacefully with the support of the police, a BMC release said. The BMC has appealed to citizens to follow the instructions of the civic body and the police during the festival.

Apart from Mumbaikars, thousands of people from the Mumbai metropolitan region and other cities visit the city to take darshan of Lord Ganesh at various pandals, including the prominent ‘Lalbaug cha Raja’, which depicts various scenes from mythology, history, or the contemporary issues by erecting decorative sets. The civic body said it received 3,487 online applications from various pandals to organise the festival till August 26.

The BMC will deploy 786 lifeguards at various immersion points and set up 188 first-aid centres. 83 ambulances will also be arranged.

Immersion of domestic idols of Lord Ganesh takes place five/six days after Ganesh Chaturthi. However, the main immersion processions are taken out on the tenth day of the festival- Anant Chaturdashi, which falls on September 9 this year. The civic body has arranged 45 motorboats and 39 German barges for the immersion. 48 inspection towers have been erected and barricades have been put at various places.

For brighter light at the immersion points, 3,069 flood lights and 71 searchlights have been installed, apart from setting up 211 reception rooms for better coordination, the release said.

Altogether 357 ‘kalash’ to collect ”nirmalya” or floral offerings offered to idols of Lord Ganesh have been set up at various spots in the city. 287 vehicles will carry ‘nirmalya’ which will be used for making organic manure. For the convenience of devotees, 134 temporary toilets will be placed at various locations.

Artificial ponds have been constructed in all 24 wards for immersing idols of Lord Ganesh. An online registration facility for immersion is also made available at https:hreeganeshvirsarjan.com, the civic body said.