25 September,2026 07:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Eeshanpriya MS
D Ward officers and staff were trained on Thursday on how to respond to emergencies at Chowpatty. Pics/by special arrangement
For the first time this year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has operationalised a dedicated Emergency Management Control Room at Girgaum Chowpatty to coordinate the response of multiple agencies during Ganesh visarjan on Anant Chaturdashi on Friday.
The control room at Swarajyabhoomi will bring together officials from the BMC's Disaster Management Cell, Mumbai Police, Fire Brigade, Health Department, BEST, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and HAM radio operators for quick coordination in case of an emergency.
The move comes as the civic body prepares for one of Mumbai's busiest immersion days, with lakhs of devotees expected at Girgaum Chowpatty.
The D Ward will also monitor live CCTV feeds from the Chowpatty area through screens installed at the control room. Two drones have been deployed to provide real-time information on any untoward incident during immersion. The cell will coordinate with police, fire, health, coastal security agencies and other departments during the visarjan process.
mid-day had earlier reported that the BMC appointed a dedicated event management firm for the Girgaum Chowpatty immersion.
The agency is handling event-related logistics such as:
>> Seating arrangements for dignitaries
>> Public address system
>> Line-up of incoming idols
>> Crowd-management support
>> Other arrangements at the venue
Emergency response, however, remains with the civic administration and its emergency agencies.
Authorities at Girgaum Chowpatty on Thursday making final preparations for Anant Chaturdashi. Pic/Ashish Raje
"The municipal administration is fully prepared to manage the crowds of lakhs of devotees visiting the site (Girgaum). Devotees, citizens, and researchers from across the country and abroad visit to witness the immersion ceremony. Special precautions have been taken to ensure that devotees do not face any inconvenience," a BMC statement said.
Thane police have deployed senior officers, police personnel, Home Guards and two SRPF platoons across Zone 3 for Anant Chaturdashi Thane police have stepped up security across Zone 3, Kalyan, for Anant Chaturdashi on Friday, with 2 DCPs, 4 ACPs, 25 police inspectors, 80 APIs/PSIs, 795 police personnel, 160 Home Guards and two SRPF platoons deployed for bandobast. According to the Zone 3 deployment plan, 182 public Ganpati idols and 14,365 household idols are scheduled for immersion across the zone.
Preparations underway at Juhu ahead of Anant Chaturdashi. Pic/Shadab Khan
The BMC's immersion arrangements also follow the Bombay High Court's directions on idol immersion.
Idols up to six feet in height must be immersed in artificial water bodies, while idols above six feet can be immersed at designated natural water bodies. The High Court kept the rule in force for the 2026 festival season pending its final decision in the related PIL.
D Ward officers and staff were trained on Thursday on how to respond to emergencies at Chowpatty.
The training covered situations including:
>> Fire in a pandal
>> Drowning incidents
>> Other emergencies during the immersion process
The exercise was aimed at ensuring that staff know their roles and the response process before the main immersion day.
The BMC has prepared 383 artificial ponds at 278 locations across Mumbai and arrangements at 67 natural immersion sites. The latter include 44 beaches and jetties and 23 natural lakes.
383 artificial ponds
278 locations with artificial ponds
67 natural immersion sites
44 beaches and jetties
23 natural lakes
1132 lifeguards
228 control rooms
75 observation towers
1194 steel plates
23 German rafts
34 cranes
85 ambulances
10 motorboats
498 nirmalya kalash
326 nirmalya dumpers
489 temporary toilets
25,000+ civic personnel deployed across immersion arrangements
Arrangement Number
Artificial ponds 12
Observation towers 20
Rafts 22
Temporary toilets 90
Ambulances 3
Personnel Around 1000
The BMC has also arranged lighting, drinking water, first aid, security, crowd-management measures and machinery and manpower for idol immersion. The civic body said it has taken special precautions at the site, which attracts devotees, citizens and visitors from across the country and abroad.
