Just a few days away from Vinayaka Chavithi, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has started to prepare for the 10- day festivities held annually across the city. As per the Hindu tradition, this year, the Ganesh festivities will start from September 10 and conclude with idol immersion between September 19 and September 23.

The Telangana government has already stated that there will not be any restrictions imposed on the height of the idols to be installed. However, it clarified to follow Covid protocols to contain the third wave of Coronavirus.

It is expected that every year, around 70,000 clay idols through the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and 50,000 idols through the GHMC apart from another 40,000 through the Endowments department will be arranged for Vinayaka Chaturthi.

In view of the festival, the GHMC is drawing up plans to ensure the smooth going of the festivities which include civic works where required, environment conservation measures. The civic works include road restoration, road patchworks all along the idol immersion procession route, sanitation near Ganesh pandals, fogging activities near water bodies and illumination.

The civic body decided to distribute 50,000 clay idols as a part of environment conservation measures. Besides this, they are even planning to clean the artificial ponds near water bodies and making them ready by the time of the festival in order to protect lakes.

Reports claim that the officials have identified more than 20 artificial ponds and related employees were deployed to clean the lakes. As part of the effort to put in place all arrangements for the 10-day festivities, the GHMC Commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar along with officials of line departments, including police, will visit major idol immersion procession routes.