Surat: As many as 4,400 Ganesh mandaps have registered so far for this year’s Ganesh festival, according to the Surat Shaher Ganesh Utsav Samiti (SSGUS). Officials expect another 3,600 to 4,000 organisers to complete the registration process in the coming days, taking the total close to the annual average of around 8,000 registered mandaps across the city.To ensure the smooth conduct of the festival and prevent disruptions, SSGUS and police have urged all organisers installing idols to complete the registration process. Registration is available online through a mobile application and has been made mandatory for immersion. Officials have stated that idols without a registration slip will not be permitted for immersion.With preparations underway for large-scale idol immersion, nearly 80,000 Ganesh idols are expected to be immersed during the 10-day festival. The immersion process will begin from the second day of the festival. Of the estimated total, around 8,000 idols are expected to be large, while the remaining will be smaller ones.“Mostly, one main idol is installed at each mandap, while several smaller idols are also installed by residents of the area. If all the idols installed across the city are counted, the total number of idols to be immersed will be around 80,000,” said Anil Biscuitwala, president of SSGUS.“Police have warned of strict action against those installing large idols without registration,” Biscuitwala said.Once an application is submitted through the app, police verify the details and conduct a site visit to assess the installation location. A photograph of the site, along with its location details, is uploaded to enable authorities to keep track of the number of idols installed and plan immersion arrangements accordingly. Each large idol is allotted a designated immersion point.Large idols will be immersed at the Magdalla riverbank and in the sea at Dumas and Hazira. Smaller idols will be immersed in artificial ponds. The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has set up 21 artificial ponds at various locations across the city.Citizens brace for traffic chaosThe ‘Agman’ processions of Ganesh idols have already led to major traffic snarls and disruptions in several parts of the city over the past week. Organisers have made elaborate arrangements, including extensive lighting, powerful music systems and bands. Firecrackers are also being burst on roads during the processions.With hundreds of people joining the processions, the activity has raised concerns among commuters and residents in affected areas. While police approval is mandatory for both processions and Ganesh mandaps, residents have raised concerns that traffic management remains inadequate, with commuters often getting stuck for long periods.The situation could become more challenging as several large mandaps have been erected along main roads. Visitors often park their vehicles on the roads while coming to view the mandaps, further reducing the available road space. In the absence of adequate parking arrangements, residents fear that traffic congestion and disruption will continue throughout the festival.
