17,696 Ganpati idols immersed on Day 5

According to data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) 17,696 idols, of which 264 were Sarvajanik idols, 17,412 household ones and 20 Gauri Ganesh idols, were immersed at both natural and artificial sites in the city and suburbs till 9pm on Friday.

The fifth immersion day of Ganeshotsav saw fewer idols being immersed across the city as compared to the one-and-half-day immersions.

Devotees immerse a Ganpati idol at a lake in Aarey colony on September 9. (Pratham Gokhale/HT PHOTO)

According to data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) 17,696 idols, of which 264 were Sarvajanik idols, 17,412 household ones and 20 Gauri Ganesh idols, were immersed at both natural and artificial sites in the city and suburbs till 9pm on Friday.

Of these, only 3,006 idols – 54 Sarvajanik, 2,941 household and 11 Gauri Ganesh idols – were immersed at artificial immersion spots across 24 wards. Comparatively, 44,476 idols were immersed till 9pm during the one-and-a-half-day immersions, said officials.

“We are expecting more devotees on Saturday, as it is a holiday and the next immersion day,” said Naresh Dahibhavkar, president, Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti (BSGSS). “Owing to fewer immersions on Friday, there were no major traffic problems.”

Dahibhavkar said that 320 lifeguards from BSGSS were deployed across Girgaum (80), Juhu (90), Dadar (110) and Mahim chowpatty (40) to keep a watch and ensure that the immersions proceedings were completed smoothly.

Civic officials said no untoward incidents were reported from any natural or artificial immersions sites. “There was no rush on Friday and the immersion procedures were very well organised,” said Mahadev Satpal, a resident of Grant Road, who along with his family immersed the Ganesha idol at Girgaum chowpatty. “There were boats available to ferry devotees deeper into the sea to immerse the idols.”

Meanwhile, for the second year in a row, efforts to construct three artificial immersion sites by Aarey authorities went in vain after devotees did not immerse a single idol on the fifth day of Ganeshotsav at these sites (see box). “We will issue guidelines to all devotees visiting Aarey from next year banning immersions at the Aarey lake,” said Gajanan Raut, chief executive officer, Aarey.

However, Lokhandwala residents said devotees came in large numbers at their artificial immersion pond this year. “Till 9pm on Friday, we had 1,830 idols immersed at the 22-by-17-foot artificial pond next to Joggers Park, Andheri. On the one-and-a-half-day immersions, we saw 1,284 idols immersed. We expect even more devotees on Saturday,” said Dhaval Shah, organiser.

Devotees fail to immerse idols at artificial ponds at Aarey

After authorities from Aarey Colony requested residents living in and around Aarey to immerse idols larger than seven feet at three artificial immersion sites, all idols were immersed only at Aarey lake and not a single one was seen at any artificial pond.

HT had reported before the festival began, that Aarey authorities requested residents living in and around the green lung to immerse idols only at two artificial ponds at unit 8 and another near Aarey picnic spot. “This year, again devotees have failed to adhere to any of our guidelines. We will begin the process to clean-up the lake after immersions on Saturday,” said Gajanan Raut, chief executive officer, Aarey.

Raut added that the final figure of the number of immersions will be known on Saturday.