The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set for the Ganeshotsav festivities, which begin on Monday. A BMC official informed that the civic body has made elaborate arrangements for the Visrajan (immersion) days so that devotees and other people are not inconvenienced.
According to civic figures, around 1.83 lakh idols were immersed last year and the number is expected to rise this year.
A civic official said, “The BMC has earmarked 60 spots in the city where arrangements have been made for immersion. In addition to this, 27 artificial ponds have been provided, including the one at the Mayor’s Bungalow at Shivaji Park. Last year, the Mayor’s Bungalow had recorded the highest number of immersions. Traditional music, aarti space for families and flowers have been arranged for at the artificial immersion sites.”
To ensure security at beaches, the BMC will be posting more than 200 lifeguards and fire brigade officials. It has also asked the Navy and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to keep their teams ready in any case of any emergency during the immersions, the official informed.
“Fifty-nine motorboats have been kept aside to help the devotees in case of any emergency. First-aid centres, ambulances, doctors will all also be kept on stand by during the immersion days on all the beaches,” he added.
Beaches like Girgaum, Juhu, Dadar, Marve are the main spots where immersions are carried out in large numbers. Watch towers, searchlights, mobile toilets will be made available for the devotees who throng these beaches, especially on the last day when maximum number of idols are immersed.