Bhopal: Over 3,500 Goddess Durga Idols Navigate Potholed Roads

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Navratri is back with Goddess Durga’s blessings for the state capital, but the city’s dilapidated roads continue to cast a shadow over the celebrations.

Despite the difficulties experienced during Ganesh Chaturthi in transporting Lord Ganesh idols, authorities seem to have taken little action, leaving devotees and organizers to negotiate pothole-filled, dusty streets while bringing over 3,500 Goddess Durga idols to pandals on Sunday and Monday.

Roads in areas such as Itwara Road, DIG Bungalow, Budhwara Square, Azad Market Road and Maida Mill Road are still in extremely poor condition, making even walking a challenge. Small wonder devotees struggled to transport the grand idols of Goddess Durga, encountering broken roads and uneven surfaces.

Last month’s Ganesh Visarjan had posed similar difficulties, leaving devotees frustrated. With no major repair plans announced by the administration, the same challenges are expected during the Visarjan processions post Navratri.

BMC officials said that over two lakhs potholes were already filled but now the civic authorities were waiting for the end of the rainy season to start asphalting on damaged roads.

BMC’s sanitation efforts

The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has deployed ward-level sanitation workers to clean pandals early in the morning. Eight dedicated vehicles are collecting puja material from the pandals and transporting it to recycling plants for proper disposal of incense sticks, powders and biodegradable material. Mayor Malti Rai assured that safe and accessible plans were being prepared for the Visarjan processions.

Police safety measures

To ensure security at nearly 3,000 pandals across the city, the police have introduced special measures. ADC (Police) Basant Kaul said that night patrols had been increased and “No Entry” zones would have adjusted timings over the next 10 days.

Heavy vehicles are now permitted to enter the city only between midnight and 6 AM., instead of the previous 11 PM cutoff.