The BMC has barricaded Mumbai’s historic Banganga Tank at Walkeshwar to prevent devotees from entering the water for ritual offerings during the final days of Pitru Paksha, after large numbers of fish died at the site on October 3.
The temporary barricading was installed on Thursday night in anticipation of increased footfall during the closing days of the annual fortnight, civic officials said. The restriction is the first reported instance of direct immersion in the tank being barred during Pitru Paksha.
Officials and residents linked the fish deaths to a drop in oxygen levels in the water after ritual offerings. Fish were seen surfacing at the tank on October 3. Ward officials, residents, public representatives and priests who conduct rituals at Banganga met on October 5 to discuss measures to prevent further damage to the historic water body.
Santosh Salunkhe, assistant municipal commissioner of the BMC’s D Ward, said the barricading was carried out ahead of the expected high footfall. He said the move was in line with the Bombay High Court’s decision to protect water bodies from degradation and would also address residents’ concerns about foul smells and possible health risks.
Alternative arrangements have been created for devotees. Ten artificial tanks have been installed for ritual offerings, while taps have been provided for those who wish to bathe. According to municipal councillor Sunny Sanap, the arrangements use water from the revered tank. Six oxygenation pumps are also operating, with additional deployments planned if required.
Pitru Paksha is being observed from September 26 to October 10 this year. During the period, Hindus perform Shradh rituals for their ancestors. At a meeting on October 5, the ward officer and area corporator advised priests to guide devotees towards practices that would allow rituals to continue without direct immersion in the tank.
Sanap said the arrangements were intended to balance longstanding religious practices with environmental concerns. He added that visitors would continue to receive Banganga water through taps and artificial tanks, although the tank itself would remain off-limits for rituals.
Residents welcomed the decision but noted that preventing fish deaths in previous years had also required sustained volunteer work. Resident Bhavesh Thakur said there had been occasions when no fish died without barricading, but those outcomes required considerable manpower and coordination.
The barricading follows earlier restrictions on traditional Ganpati immersion at the site on environmental grounds. The current measure places the management of ritual activity, water quality and visitor access at the centre of civic protection efforts for one of Mumbai’s historic water bodies. The tank will remain closed to direct ritual access through the final days of Pitru Paksha, with the artificial tanks, taps and oxygenation pumps serving as the stated alternatives.
