Pune: In a sudden change of plans, the Water Resources Department has released water from Khadakwasla Dam into the Mutha River at a flow rate of 4,708 cusecs for the immersion of Ganesh idols on the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi.

This comes as a surprise to many, as just a day earlier, officials had stated that no water would be discharged for the immersion ceremonies.

Every year, during Anant Chaturdashi, water is released from Khadakwasla Dam into the Mutha River to facilitate the immersion of Ganesh idols by both public Ganesh Mandals and household devotees.

This year, the city’s water supply reservoirs—Temghar, Varasgaon, Panshet, and Khadakwasla—are at full capacity, holding a combined total of 29.15 billion cubic feet (TMC) of water.

Despite this, on Monday (September 16), officials from the Water Resources Department had confirmed that no water would be released for the Ganesh immersion, which led to confusion and concern among the public.

However, by Tuesday (September 17) morning, the department reversed its decision, and the release of water began at 11 a.m., allowing the traditional immersion process to take place as planned.

Last year, due to lower-than-average rainfall, water was not released from the dam for the occasion. This year, despite ample water reserves, the initial reluctance to release water for the immersion ceremonies raised eyebrows, but the eventual decision has provided relief to devotees.