BMC says the costs for the festival have gone up this year owing to special arrangements made for safe immersion; Rs 90,74,025.96 spent between April 1 and August 18
A BMC worker immerses a small Ganesh idol in an artificial pond on Tuesday. PIC/SATEJ SHINDE
With the final day of Ganpati visarjan coming close (August 6), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has this year made significantly improved arrangements across the city to make sure the immersions go smoothly, mainly of the idols from bigger mandals such as Lalbaugcha Raja, Mumbaicha Raja, and more.
The BMC, alongside enhanced safety and security, said it made arrangements by setting up additional numbers of artificial ponds for immersions, from 200 in 2024 to 288 this year, in compliance with the Bombay High Court’s order, leading to an increase in the total expenditure this year.
In an RTI filed by Advocate Godfrey Pimenta, the BMC has provided information saying that this year, between April 1 and August 18, the civic body spent a total of Rs 90,74,025.96 on the preparations for the festival.
“The cost for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations does not only include the arrangements for the festival but also the cleaning cost that would be necessary post the last day of the festival, when some idols, especially the POP ones, would wash up ashore,” said Advocate Pimenta.
The civic body also announced that any idols under six feet tall have to be immersed into the ponds instead of natural water bodies to avoid pollution from POP. Officials said that many ponds are located close to natural water bodies, from where people would be directed to the pond by police personnel for the immersion of small idols.
The GBS in King’s Circle, who immersed their Ganpati idol on the fifth day (August 31) of the celebrations, told mid-day that this year, they had seen a smooth process of visarjan with no issues arising. As the celebrations are still ongoing, it is uncertain what the total cost of this year will be, including the cleanup cost post the festival. mid-day contacted the BMC to ask about specific arrangements made this year but heard no response by press time.
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