Hyderabad gives Ganesha a grand farewell

HYDERABAD: Thousands of Ganesha idols were immersed in lakes across the city on Thursday with thousands more lined up for immersion through the night. Officials said baby ponds at lakes had few takers and lakes had to take the immersion load.
The over 20,000 police personnel deployed across the three commissionerates ensured processions with lakhs of devotees were carried out smoothly.The 61-feet Khairtabad Ganesha idol, which was moved around 6am and immersed at 1:30pm. The modern crane (Tadano), with a capacity to lift 400MT of weight and equipped with an automatic release device, was used to lower the Khairtabad idol. The crane, which was procured from Gujarat, was used last year too.

For smooth immersion, authorities used drones to identify points in Hussainsagar. Officials ensured all idols were immersed properly following several complaints last year. “We used drones, and desilted the area where idols were immersed,” said Musharraf Ali Faruqui, GHMC zonal commissioner of Khairtabad overseeing the arrangements at Hussainsagar.
Thousands thronged lakes across the city, with Hussainsagar drawing most number of devotees. Denizens were asked to park their vehicles at Telugu Talli Flyover.
About 134 mobile and 93 static cranes were used to lower idols in the lakes. Officials set up 27 medical camps, deployed over 9,800 sanitation workers and over 3,600 static lights for the immersion day. Besides this, arrangements were made for distribution of water sachets to devotees. People participating in the immersion were welcomed with refreshments by volunteers, who had set up stages all along the procession route.
Narsimha Reddy, a private schoolteacher from Khammam, said, “I came to see how the giant idol is placed on the crane, and immersed. I really appreciate the skills of people involved in immersion.”