During the 10-day festival, a large number of devotees immerse idols after one-and-a-half days as well as on the fifth and seventh days, a BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation official said.
60,434 idols were immersed across the city till 6 am on Friday, August 29, according to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation.
The count included 691 sarvajanik (public festivity) idols, 59,706 household idols, and 37 Hartalika idols.
Last year, 66,339 idols were immersed on the 1.5-days, of which 30,558 were in artificial lakes.
This year, the BMC has earmarked 70 natural water bodies (including stretches of the seashore) and set up 288 artificial ponds for immersion, the official added.
As part of measures to protect the environment, the BMC urged citizens to immerse their eco-friendly Ganpati idol in drums or buckets, while Plaster of Paris idols that are less than 6 feet in height must be immersed in artificial ponds.
It has also asked sarvajanik mandals to segregate offerings so that biodegradable material can be turned into fertiliser.
For promoting an eco-friendly Ganpati festival, the BMC this year has given free land to 1,022 idol makers to erect pandals, besides distribution of 990 metric tonnes of clay (shadu mati) and 10,800 litres of eco-friendly colours, including 3,000 litres of primer.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
Feature Presentation: Mahipal Soni/Rediff