📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / JDP90 (Joydeep)
Religion
Bhopal Deploys Divers, Barricades for Durga Immersion of 7,000 Idols, Bans Ravana Burning
✍️ Amar Ujala · Bhopal
🗓 19 Oct 2026, 04:01 PM
👁 15
The Bhopal Municipal Corporation issued a safety plan that includes divers, barricading and rescue gear for the immersion of over 7,000 Durga idols, while prohibiting Ravana burning in narrow lanes.
Bhopal's municipal authorities have released detailed security guidelines ahead of the Durga Puja immersion ceremonies. The plan calls for more than 7,000 idols to be lowered into designated ghats under the watch of professional divers, with barricades and rescue equipment positioned along the riverbanks.
In addition to the immersion measures, the corporation has ordered a ban on the burning of Ravana effigies in the city's narrow lanes, citing fire‑hazard concerns and the difficulty of crowd control in confined spaces.
The guidelines aim to prevent accidents and ensure a smooth flow of devotees, who are expected to gather in large numbers for both the immersion and Dussehra celebrations. Municipal officials will monitor compliance and deploy additional police personnel where needed.
The move reflects a broader effort by local authorities to balance traditional festivities with public safety, especially after previous incidents of crowd crushes and fire outbreaks during similar events in other Indian cities.
In addition to the immersion measures, the corporation has ordered a ban on the burning of Ravana effigies in the city's narrow lanes, citing fire‑hazard concerns and the difficulty of crowd control in confined spaces.
The guidelines aim to prevent accidents and ensure a smooth flow of devotees, who are expected to gather in large numbers for both the immersion and Dussehra celebrations. Municipal officials will monitor compliance and deploy additional police personnel where needed.
The move reflects a broader effort by local authorities to balance traditional festivities with public safety, especially after previous incidents of crowd crushes and fire outbreaks during similar events in other Indian cities.