Ganesh immersion 2026 LIVE: Balapur Ganesh laddu fetches record ₹39 lakh at auction; traffic curbs across central Hyderabad till September 26
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Hyderabad, Telangana, 25/09/2026: The iconoc Balapur Lord Ganesh laddu fetched 39 lakh in an auction. The bid was won by Sama Praneeth Reddy a resident of Sama nagar, Hayatnagar in Rangareddy district on Friday, September 25, 2026. Photo: RAMAKRISHNA G/The Hindu | Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G
The famous 21–kg Balapur Ganesh laddu fetched a record ₹39 lakh at the annual auction on Friday (September 25, 2026) with Sama Praneeth Reddy, founder of Urban Group Private Limited, placing the winning bid.
In Hyderabad, the immersion procession of the famous Khairatabad Ganesh idol began in the morning, with a large number of devotees from across the Hyderabad turning up to witness the annual event. The procession passed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat around the noon. Arrangements were made for the immersion of the idols from other parts of the city.
For commuters, that means a large part of central Hyderabad will effectively belong to the procession for much of Friday (September 25, 2026) and into Saturday (September 26, 2026) morning.
No traffic other than vehicles carrying Ganesh idols will be permitted along the main procession route from 6 a.m. on Friday (September 25, 2026) until 10 a.m. on Saturday (September 26, 2026). Restrictions on NTR Marg, PVNR Marg, Tank Bund and Khairatabad Flyover could continue until Saturday evening, depending on the progress of immersion.
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Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in association with TAAPMA (Telangana and Andhra Plastic Manufacturers Association), conducted an awareness programme at NTR Marg, Khairatabad, for devotees attending Ganesh idols procession, focusing on waste segregation at source and the responsible collection and disposal of plastic waste.
Devotees were sensitised on avoiding littering, segregating waste and depositing plastic waste at designated collection points, as per a press note.
A dedicated training centre was inaugurated by GHMC Commissioner R.V. Karnan, along with Additional Commissioner B. Santosh and others.
Hyderabad Metro Rail and South Central Railway would run special extended services for the convenience of passengers during the Ganesh immersion procession till early hours of Saturday (September 26, 2026).
Hyderabad in-charge Minister Ponnam Prabhakar conveyed greetings on behalf of the government to devotees and organisers of Ganesh mandaps.
He urged people to maintain safety precautions during the immersion procession. The Minister said that 110 static cranes and 170 mobile cranes were set up at baby ponds, lakes and other water bodies.
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Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar said that nearly 20,000 police personnel were posted on bandobust duty. Around 10,000 CCTV cameras set up on the main procession routes were connected to the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) in Banjara Hills, where authorities will maintain surveillance. Read the report for more details
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Telangana’s mounted police deployed on duty for the immersion procession of Khairatabad Ganesh idol in Hyderabad on Friday (September 25, 2026).Photo credit: NAGARA GOPAL
The delay was due to the slow process of welding the idol to the wheeled trolley. A procedure that begins in the pre-dawn hours was delayed upsetting the schedule. As the devotees prayed for the final time after removing their footwear, the idol began rolling through the streets as families grabbed vantage positions to watch and shower petals. An army of shutterbugs queued up to frame the tall idol and the faith that brings thousand to the streets in Hyderabad.- Serish Nanisetti
Telangana Police have also listed 47 lakes and ponds across Hyderabad where idols can be immersed en route. These are spread across areas including Shamshabad, Rajendranagar, Charminar, Golconda, Khairatabad and Secunderabad zones. Saroornagar lake, Jiyaguda pond, Sanjeevaiah Park baby pond, and Jawahar Nagar baby pond are some facilities around NTR Marg and People’s Plaza.Read the report for details
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Under a grey overcast sky on Friday (September 25, 2026) morning, the 69-ft tall Khairatabad Ganesh idol’s journey towards the Hussainsagar lake in Hyderabad got delayed as a sea of faithful thronged to catch the glimpse of the symbol of the belief on Ananta Chaturdasi.Read Serish Nanisetti’s report for details
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