Upasanasthal New Town Immersion grows popular

Yesterday there was no immersion at New Town Immersion Gat called Upasanasthal. On Dashami, a total of 161 immersions took place, went on till 1 am, of which a majority (81) came from outside New Town while 80 were from New Town. NKDA keeps a careful count as outside New Town Pujas have to pay a token amount of Rs 500. No fees are payable for New Town Pujas. In exchange, the best possible service is provided to all, as follows:

1. Three sets of labour gangs are deployed to offload idols from trucks, carry to ghat and immerse after observing rites like rotating. No puja community member is required, or encouraged, to go to the water. No payments to be settled: the labour units are paid by NKDA on a per idol basis. Two idols are offloaded at a time while the thirs labour group takes a break. It is also safe since untrained enthusiastic puja members are not allowed to go to the water.
2. A Disaster Management Police Speedboat is kept on standby to watch for any emergencies.
3. A country boat team is kept on water to pull away the floating idols to prevent congestion near the bank of the ghat.
4. There are extensive arrangements of vats for flowers, puja materials, plastics etc and workers continuously empty these to make it effective for all puja immersions. Sweeping teams keep the paved area off the ghat clean ebery 15 - 20 minutes. Cranes (hydras) lift the wooden frames from the water by next day morning.
5. An officer with a cordless mike walks around in the paved well-lit arena to remind people of little Dos and Don'ts in real time (don't get into water, throw flowers in vats, come to the dais for Dhunuchi Dance etc). A first aid camp, a police camp, a cash counter and a tea shop stall is opened. Free drinking water in glasses is provided for all.
6. A dais cum observation deck is manned by senior officers (see pic below) to see the proceedings clearly at all times and take necessary action.
7. Dhunuchi-cum-dhak competition and arati dance (5 minutes each Puja group) is performed near the dais and evaluated for prizes to be given during New Town Mela in December.

Today (Monday) too all arrangements for immersion will be made.
* * *
Later.
Monday 2 Oct: Immersions: New Town 3, Outside New Town 22, Total 25

Few pictures:

At dais at Upasanasthal Immersion Ghat:
CEO NKDA, DC (Police), JMD Hidco, me and others. Overseeing.

NKDA Tean lifting Idol while members enjoy

Dhunuchi Dance by women at Upasanasthal Ghat

Country Boat to tow away idols in water to prevent congestion near
stairs of ghat