KMC set to prepare Gwalior Ghat for tarpan, immersion by Sept 10

Kolkata: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has set September 10 as the deadline to make Gwalior Ghat ready for tarpan on the days of Mahalaya and immersion of Durga idols.

While inspecting the ghat beside river Ganga on Saturday, the civic body found that the Defence authorities had demolished a portion of the construction work which was undertaken by Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) for beautifying the ghat, creating uncertainty regarding immersions.

Member, Mayor in-Council (Parks & Gardens) Debashis Kumar, who also looks after the maintenance of the ghats, held an emergency meeting with all stakeholders to clear the logjam that may have been caused because of such an untoward situation.

"The meeting has been fruitful. We will take all measures to ensure that the ghat is ready for tarpan followed by immersions, before September 10. A committee has also been formed with all stakeholders to implement long-term plan of beautifying the ghat," Kumar said.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of KoPT, Defence, Railways and experts in structural engineering.

The Gwalior Ghat, popularly known as Judges Ghat, witnesses the highest number of Durga idol immersions in the city and lakhs of people assemble there for Mahalaya's tarpan ritual.

The committee for the long-term measures related to beautification of the ghat will have special Municipal Commissioner, KMC, Tapas Chowdhury as chairman, Director General of Civil, Parks & Gardens and Drainage department of the civic body and one representative from all other concerned agencies.

KMC has also proposed a straight pathway for smoother immersion that should be explored by the committee. At present, the organisers have to follow a somewhat circuitous path to reach Gwalior Ghat for immersion.

According to sources, the private agency that was deployed by KoPT for the beautification, had started work without the nod of KMC or the Defence authorities. The KoPT had claimed that they were informed by the agency that permission for the work had been taken before its commencement.