24 August,2026 07:37 AM IST | Mumbai | Eeshanpriya MS
The area where the Bhuleshwaracha Raja Ganesh idol collapsed on Saturday night. Pic/Ashish Raje
Residents have been angry with the authorities over mismanaged and inadequate amenities, including a potholed road stretch where the procession was passing. Locals expressed grief and confusion over the incident that occurred on Saturday night, recounting moments before the fall and those that followed.
Jayesh Vora, a local where the idol collapsed, pointed to the condition of the street and said, "Look at the surface of the road. How can anyone say for certain that the idol won't have faced any bumps while travelling on this road alone? There is a major pothole and depression on the road right besides the location where the idol tilted and fell. Who is to say with certainty that this was not the reason why the truck actually tilted? Why didn't BMC fix this patch?"
"Last night, just a few metres before the idol reached the spot where it collapsed, I was standing at the corner and clicked a beautiful photo of the idol. It must have been an hour before it collapsed. Little did we know something like this was going to happen," he added.
A member of the Samanvay Samiti, who did not wish to be named, said, "The day before the âaagman' on Saturday, I personally did a recce of the entire route that the idol was to travel on. I spotted various potholes and speed breakers. I spoke to the officials concerned and highlighted the condition and asked them to remove the speed breakers. On Saturday afternoon, when we went to receive the idol at Bakri Adda, we realised the speed breakers were not even removed. Why such apathy?"
A local said, "We would rather not speak to the media. We have come to believe everyone is hand in glove. Today you will speak to us to understand the problems of this area, but we will not see this reflected in the report tomorrow. We have complained to our [BMC] ward authorities repeatedly about the condition of roads, uneven surfaces, and open drains. Even bikes can slip. Nothing has been done." "When the idol was due, I personally cleared the whole street of parking to make space for the procession. Today it has returned," said another resident.
The Mumbai Fire Brigade officials who were present said that the idol was not completely "dried". To carry it from its workshop to the pandal was the discretion and decision of the pandal. The police investigation will reveal if there were any technical or mechanical issues in the setup (plates, vehicle, etc.) used to transport the idol to the pandal.
BMC officials said that the route of the procession was the same as every year and that these are established procedures. A senior civic official told mid-day, "The same route is being followed by other mandals also, which happened smoothly over a period of one month. These are all established procedures, and we have been adhering to all processes year after year. All assistant commissioners and heads of departments concerned are instructed to take precautions within the jurisdictions and on routes of all pandals - such as securing speed breakers, repairing potholes, checking overhead wires in coordination with concerned authorities, and trimming tree branches. BMC does not need to wait to issue directives for the festival."
