Belagavi’s grand Ganesha idol immersion procession concluded on Sunday morning after an unprecedented 42-hour marathon run, setting a new record for the city and surpassing the previous year’s 36-hour duration.
The mega event, recognized as one of Karnataka’s largest cultural spectacles, drew lakhs of devotees alongside roughly 380 public mandals before the final rituals wrapped up around 10:00 AM at the Kapileshwar immersion ponds.
The Bottleneck at Kapileshwar
The procession kicked off with traditional religious ceremonies at Hutatma Chowk on Friday evening. However, despite administrative attempts to streamline the parade, severe bottlenecks emerged as hundreds of towering idols arrived from city limits and outlying suburbs, including Vijayanagara, Hindalga, Ganeshpur, and Piranwadi.
Crucial delays stemmed from safety protocols at the water bodies:
- Frame Dismantling: Workers had to manually remove reinforcing metal armatures from large idols prior to immersion.
- Turnaround Times: Each large idol required 15 to 20 minutes to safely lower into the water.
- Queue Buildup: By 10:00 PM on Saturday, only about 170 idols had completed the ritual, leaving dozens stacked up in queues that stretched overnight into Sunday daylight.
Citywide Congestion Sparks Calls for Upgrades
The marathon run brought vehicular movement across Belagavi to a virtual crawl. Barricades, security cordons, and detour routes remained active for well over 24 hours, choking major junctions and arterial corridors across the city.
In the wake of the gridlock, several prominent mandals and local resident groups urged municipal authorities to overhaul existing infrastructure. Key demands included:
- Construction of larger, dedicated immersion tanks.
- Deployment of additional high-capacity industrial cranes.
- Better marshaling zones to keep surrounding roads clear during peak hours.
Heavy Security Keeps Event Peaceful
Despite the grueling schedule and sheer density of crowds, senior officials reported no major untoward incidents.
Under the direct supervision of City Police Commissioner Prakash Nikam and DCP (Law & Order) Narayan Baramani, thousands of personnel—including units from the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), Rapid Action Force (RAF), and Home Guards—maintained round-the-clock surveillance. Certified rescue divers, dedicated crane operators, and emergency medical teams were stationed at both the old and new Kapileshwar ponds until the final idol was immersed.
