2 weeks Ago
The immersion processions hit the roads as early as 4 am as part of the police's plan to complete the ritual at the earliest SURAT: Around 62,942 idols of all sizes were immersed in the artificial ponds and sea, bringing curtains on the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, on Tuesday. The immersion processions hit the roads as early as 4 am as part of the police's plan to complete the ritual at the earliest. Due to the early start of processions, the majority of the large Ganesha idols had already passed through Bhagal by the afternoon.
Earlier, 8,634 Ganesha idols of Gauri Ganesh were immersed in the ponds during the festival. In the past, some organizers could only cross Bhagal by evening due to the late start and swelling crowds on the way to immersion. The big idols were sent to Hazira via Bhesan, and the immersions continued till the next day.
This year, however, the authorities deployed more cranes, cutters, and other infrastructure to speed up the immersions. Idols of up to five feet were immersed in 21 artificial ponds created by the Surat Municipal Corporation . The bigger idols were sent for immersion in the river and sea at Magdalla, Dumas, and Hazira.
There were queues on the Hazira Road for kilometres with vehicles waiting for their turn for immersion on Tuesday evening. Despite the ban on idols taller than nine feet, there were several organizers who had installed idols of 25 feet. SMC also installed containers for waste collection at the immersion ponds.
"The immersion process was carried out smoothly during the day. Immersion at Hazira will continue till morning," said Anil Biscuitwala, president, Surat Shaher Ganesh Utsav Samiti..
