Ganeshotsav 2012: ‘Fill pits for immersions at least’

A day after slamming the municipal body over sloppy pothole-filling work in the run-up to Ganeshotsav, which begins on Wednesday, the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samnvay Samiti demanded that the authorities ensure smooth roads before immersions.

Immersions will begin on Thursday, when idols installed for a day-and-a-half will make way to artificial ponds, natural lakes and beaches. The five-day and 10-day idols will be immersed on September 23 and 29 respectively.

“They should fill the potholes on the immersion routes at least now that they have got more time. The one-and-a-half day Ganpatis, which are usually small idols, will not face a lot of problems. It is the mandals, which ferry tall idols for immersion on trolleys, that will face a bumpy ride,” pointed out Naresh Dahibawkar, president of the Samiti.

The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samnvay Samiti , an umbrella of 10,300 city mandals, want the Chinchpokli (Chinchpokli bridge), Goregaon (Aarey Colony), Andheri (Andheri-Kurla service road), Girgaum among other roads to be fixed.

There are a total of 72 immersion spots in the city, of which 27 are beaches. Besides, the BMC has increased the number of artificial ponds from 22 in 2011 to 24 this year.

Even as the BMC is still carrying out road repairs, mandals demand the work should be supervised by officials. “The BMC had given an assurance to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and his deputy Ajit Pawar that proper care will be taken on the arrival and immersions routes. The BMC should stick to its word,” Dahibawkar added.

Additional municipal commissioner Aseem Gupta said: “Their demands have already been considered by BMC. The pothole-repair work is on in the city and the immersions will not be affected.”