Amid chanting of ‘Ganapati bappa morya’, lakhs of devotees bid adieu to Lord Ganesh here as the ten-day festivity came to an end on Wednesday.
Hundreds of idols of various shapes and sizes were brought in trucks, tempos, cars, two-wheelers or carried on heads from public pandals and homes to the Hussain Sagar and other water bodies for immersion. Over two lakh people gathered at Tank Bund and Necklace Road to witness the immersion.
A large number of idols were also immersed at Saroornagar Tank,Safilguda Tank, Durgam Cheruvu, Kukatpally and surrounding small lakes and ponds.
The main procession, began from Balapur in the morning. The procession began after the auction of the ‘laddu’ at Balapur for a whopping `9.26 lakh.
The main procession, which began behind schedule from Balapur, was joined by others as it meandered past through the communally sensitive areas of old city Barkas, Falaknuma, Shalibanda, Charminar, Patherghatti, Abids, Basheerbagh Road to the immersion at Tank Bund and NTR Marg. There was a festive mood in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad with slogan-shouting youth wearing saffron scarves marching towards the lake with the idols for immersion.
From a cycle to a long truck, the devotees used every possible mode of transport to carry the idols. More than 50 cranes have been installed at the lake for the immersion of big idols.
Colours were sprinkled liberally and the procession was stopped at several places to allow the young revelers indulge in dancing. Policemen forced the truck drivers to move on, but the crowd refused to pay heed.
Heavy rain that lashed the city in the evening disrupted the immersion procession for a couple of hours on Wednesday. Several voluntary organisations distributed lemon rice and water. Water Board distributed 14 lakh water sachets free of cost through 101 camps. Besides, over 100 water tankers were pressed into service to provide water.
Meanwhile, Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi (BGUS) put up welcome dais at various places in the city to welcome the organisers of Ganesh pandals. The lanes and bylanes leading to the procession route were barricaded. Heavy cranes were deployed to lift the tallest idol at Khairatabad and put it on a truck.
Various civic departments played a crucial role for the smooth conduct of immersion on Wednesday. Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB), Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Corporation Limited (APCPDCL), SCR and APSRTC made necessary arrangements.
GHMC has set up 33 platforms around Hussainsagar to place the cranes and in all 71 cranes are used for immersion purpose throughout the city. GHMC pressed 2,300 staff for attending sanitation work round- the-clock and 25 additional vehicles for removal of garbage.
Irrigation department has arranged cranes at 21 immersion points including Tank Bund and NTR Marg and 59 mobile cranes.
About 80 swimmers and divers with life saving jackets have also been deployed.
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