Hyderabad, Sep 18 (PTI) The immersion of Lord Ganesh idols in water bodies, following the conclusion of nine-day Ganesh Chaturthi festivities, concluded peacefully in Telangana on Wednesday.
As many as 1,25,111 idols were immersed in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits, official sources said.
The 'visarjan' process spilled onto Wednesday as organisers of many pandals set out for the immersion late on Tuesday and also because some heavy vehicles carrying the idols broke down leading to traffic snarls, an official said.
GHMC Commissioner Amrapali Kata said the immersion concluded peacefully due to the coordinated efforts of the city police, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), city water works, electricity and other government agencies.
She said about 15,000 personnel, including from sanitation and other wings, worked for the event. As many as 465 static and mobile cranes were arranged for the immersion, a GHMC release said.
She directed the Zonal Commissioners of GHMC to focus on sanitation in view of the conclusion of the immersion of idols.
Kata and city police commissioner C V Anand thanked the personnel of various government departments in ensuring the event passed off smoothly.
The Telangana capital was in the grip of a festive fervour as organisers of Ganesh pandals hit the streets since Tuesday morning for the immersion of the idols dancing to religious songs and drum beats.
The Hussain Sagar lake in the heart of the city witnessed thousands of footfalls as vehicles carrying the idols queued up for immersion.
The 70 ft-tall Ganesh idol of the famous pandal at Khairatabad here, a major attraction during the festival in the Telangana capital, was immersed in the Hussain Sagar on Tuesday afternoon after the giant reached the lake in a 'Shobha Yatra'.
The auction of the laddus offered as 'prasadam' in the pandals was another attraction during the festivities. Procuring the laddu in the auction is believed to bring prosperity to the successful bidder.
About 25,000 police personnel were involved in bandobust duty in Hyderabad in two phases for the festival, a police official said.