Colourful processions carrying Ganesh idols for immersion were taken out here on Sunday, as thousands of devotees bid goodbye to the elephant god following Ganesh Chaturthi.
Elaborate arrangements were made at 36 lakes and tanks in Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits for immersion of idols even as a heavy posse of police personnel was deployed around the immersion points to prevent any untoward incidents.
At Ulsoor Lake, the authorities had deployed two cranes to lift huge idols and immerse them. Volunteers were seen helping devotees in the immersion process, while barricades had been put up to prevent devotees from going near the water. Among thousands of devotees gathered around the lake was a group of foreigners, curiously watching the immersion of idols.
Traffic was diverted on several thoroughfares around Ulsoor Lake, Sankey Tank, Yediyur Lake, Nagawara Lake, Hebbal Lake and other places where the BBMP had made arrangements for immersion.
Prohibitory orders was imposed in parts of Bangalore East and Bangalore North, and liquor shops were asked to remain closed on Sunday and Monday.
BBMP Commissioner Rajneesh Goel said that cranes were deployed at Ulsoor, Yediyur, Sankey and Hebbal immersion points to enable smooth immersion of idols. The BBMP has requested citizens to complete immersion of idols before the end of this month so that cleaning operations could be taken up. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Krishna Bhat, about 1,500 police personnel were deployed around Ulsoor Lake on Sunday when at least 400 idols were immersed. Since traffic had been diverted, there were no traffic snarls, he said and added that police personnel were making recordings of the processions.
