The East Singhbhum district administration made elaborate arrangements for immersion of Durga idols on Monday with as many as 12 ghats along Subarnarekha and Kharkai rivers cleaned up.

Approach roads to the ghats have been levelled and lights and barricades are also in place. Volunteers will also be deployed.

The administration has already issued directives to all the 320-odd puja committees to immerse idols before sunset as the water levels of both rivers are high. Moreover, as per Covid guidelines issued by the state government, the immersion will be sans processions. The authorities have also earmarked routes for the immersion of the idols.

Magistrates and an adequate number of police personnel will be on duty at ghats from a security point of view. Barricading has also been done on routes which have not been earmarked for immersion.

According to ADM (law and order) N.K. Lal, puja committees have been directed to not take out processions, “Puja committees have also been given timings for immersion and they have to adhere to the directives. Adequate security arrangements will be made at the ghats. Volunteers will also be deployed for assistance,” he added.

While puja committees under Telco, Govindpur, Golmuri and Burmamines police stations will proceed via R.D. Tata turnaround to Sakchi and reach the Subarnarekha river after passing through the Old Court Road, puja committees under Sitaramdera thana will catch the Straight Mile Road, reach Sakchi before reaching the river ghat.

Idols of puja committees under Kadma police station will be immersed at Sati ghat and sub-station ghat after touching Rankini temple while immersion rituals for Pujas under Sonari thana will be conducted at Domuhani ghat.

The ghats that have been readied for immersions include Subarnareka ghat, Sonari Naya ghat, Bhuiyandih ghat, Domuhani ghat, Kadma Sati ghat, Kadma sub-station ghat , Bodhanwala ghat, Bagbera Baroda ghat, Narwa ghat, Hurlung ghat, Baridih ghat and Dimna lake.

Officials of district administration have already inspected the ghats. The Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee and Mango Notified Area Committee have taken care of the cleanliness of the ghats.

Puja-related items will not be released in the river. They will be kept at an earmarked place along the riverbed. The Jamshedpur Durga Puja Kendriya Samity (JDPKS), which monitors pujas in steel city, has asked organisers to carry idols in small vehicles and maintain strict social distancing.