BMC bans processions and gatherings amidst the fear of a third wave

While devotees all around the country are gearing up for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), amid the speculations of a third wave, has decided to ban processions and gatherings of any kind. Instead of physical darshan at Ganesh pandals, the civic body has asked the mandals to make proper arrangements for online darshan.

 

Furthermore, BMC has restricted the number of people during the immersion of the idol to a maximum of ten for Ganesh mandals and not more than five people for the ones who are taking the idol home. The residents of the sealed buildings must make their arrangements for immersion inside their house. Also, mandals inside containment zones need to make arrangements for immersion inside the pandals or postpone the immersion civic body has urged that the people who are participating in the immersion should preferably be fully vaccinated. 

 

The same restrictions are kept in place for the arrival procession. The civic body also stated that “In lieu of the traditional method of performing aarti at the immersion ground, the aarti should be performed at the mandals or inside the home, before leaving, to ensure minimum time taken at the immersion site.” 

 

The BMC has also appealed to the citizens to adhere to all Covid-19 protocols and guidelines like maintaining social distance, wearing a mask, etc." Additionally, the civic body has also instructed the Ganesh mandals to avoid stopping their vehicle anywhere during immersion and to drop the idols at BMC collection centres. The officials will then immerse these idols in the sea.

 

The BMC further added, “Ganesh mandals should avoid taking the vehicle carrying the idol from the mandap to the immersion site at a very slow speed like a procession but should rather take it at a normal speed so as not to injure the idol in it" Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar on Tuesday put forth the idea of ‘My house, My Bappa’ where one celebrates the festival inside their homes. 

Pednekar told news agency ANI, “Citizens should celebrate festivals at their home only and even mandals should make sure that they do not gather inside the pandal.” The BMC has further advised that children and senior citizens should stay away from the immersion site.

 

 

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