Kolkata Durga idol immersion
A KMC official said major ghats recorded 800 immersions since Friday evening. Among the structures sent off, 212 idols were immersed at Bajekadamtolla (Babughat) ghat. This apart, around 700 idols were immersed in ponds across the city.
Now we are relaxed that the immersion process has ended peacefully,” said a civic official. “We are happy that by Saturday, immersion of almost 100% of the city’s idols was complete,” said a KMC official. “Our machines and manpower worked overnight to meet the requirements of the puja organisers who are expected to arrive at the major ghats in droves through Friday night. Some other ghats that witnessed a surge include Nimtala, Judges Ghat and Doighat (Kidderpore). Special mechanical ramps, slides and rail-mounted trolleys/conveyor systems were deployed at the major ghats, including Bajekadamtolla, Nimtala, Gwalior, Judges and Doi ghats.
Most of the city’s well-known Durga Puja organisers had made a beeline for the ghats to complete the immersion process on Friday.
“Our teams are active in Behala, Jadavpur-Tollygunge and areas located off EM Bypass,” said a KMC parks department official. Also, KMC teams from the parks and square and solid waste management departments were present at the city’s neighbourhood ponds to ensure a smooth immersion of neighbourhood and household pujas. The presence of a high tide in the Hooghly on Friday afternoon had ensured a smooth process for hundreds of idols though immersions were not as easy on Thursday, when a low tide made it difficult to remove the idols and frames. The heaps of structures, which had accumulated at Bajekadamtolla, Nimtala and Doighat on Thursday, made the immersion scenes trickier for the KMC immersion coordination team and cops on duty.