01 September,2026 03:04 PM IST | Mumbai | Eeshanpriya MS
BMC workers lay metal plates for immersion of large Ganesh idols at Chowpatty. Pic/Ashish Raje
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will hire a professional event planner to handle logistics and streamline immersions at Chowpatty during Ganeshotsav. The agency will make red carpet arrangements and take charge of the viewing and seating layout for dignitaries, manage the public address system, line-up of the incoming Ganesh idols, and crowds that pour in from the various mandals for immersion, as well as drinking water facilities, among other things. Bids for the same have been invited.
An official told mid-day, "Various facilities are required for the tenth day of the festival. BMC organises steel plates for the immersion of the very tall idols. The relatively smaller ones, which are still above six feet in height, are sent out on boats for immersion. The line-up is planned based on when large Ganesh idols are expected to arrive - their routes are very long, and members of their mandals always end up informing authorities of their expected arrival timings, ranging from 12 noon on visarjan day to 6 or 7 am the next day."
[popcorn number="7000" desc="No. of idols from Sarvajanik Mandals immersed in Girgaon in 2025" class="Default"]
An official involved in the process told mid-day, "The BMC does not have the manpower or expertise required to organise immersions on the tenth day of the festival at Girgaon. Hence it is being outsourced. Every year, an event management agency is hired to manage VIP movement, red carpet arrangements, and the viewing and seating layout for dignitaries. This year, we're adding the announcement of the line-up of major idols due for immersion and facilities for visitors to the list of the agency's responsibilities."
Another official said, "The BMC floats separate tenders for crowd management and beach safety. Lifeguards are deployed via a contract extended by the Mumbai Fire Brigade."
The BMC will also hire specialised sea divers and a team of experts to ensure a streamlined immersion process without casualties or injuries.
This beach in Girgaon is among the top few natural immersion sites used, including the Dadar, Bandra, Versova, Juhu, Aksa and Marve, and Gorai beaches. Apart from these natural immersion sites, 290 artificial ponds are created by the BMC. However, beaches are the primary sites for tall idols. At Girgaon, over 7000 idols from Sarvajanik Mandals were immersed in 2025.
Prominent or historic Ganesh idols immersed at Chowpaty include Lalbaugcha Raja, Chinchpoklicha Chintamani, Girgaoncha Raja, and Tejukayacha Raja, which are also among the tallest idols in Mumbai.
Following the collapse of Bhuleshwarcha Raja last Saturday that killed two people and injured five others, Mumbai's Saarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti has written to Mayor Ritu Tawde with a 10-point agenda on their demands for safety protocols to be followed this Ganesh festival. Among its main demands, the Samiti has urged BMC to draft a list of main routes used, repair bad roads and remove construction material, tree branches, and electric wires on routes taken by tall idols. The Samiti is set to meet the mayor on September 1 in this regard.
