A woman smears sindoor on another on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.

Revellers made the most of the last day of the Durga Puja festival that drew to a close on Tuesday. As people thronged various puja pandals, city administration had a tough time handling the crowd.

"I came all the way from Nayagarh with my family to see Durga Puja and Ravan Podi here," said Karunakara Mohanty, a devotee.

The pujas at Jharpada and Baramunda remained two of the most favourites with the crowd. Moreover, they are the only two who have been allowed to conduct Ravan Podi at night.

Deputy commissioner of Police Satyabrata Bhoi said that following inspection, Jharpada and Baramunda were found to be eligible to hold the Ravan Podi event. "According to Supreme Court guidelines, the site should be barricaded in a way that onlookers stay at least 100 metres away," said Bhoi.

Considering the Ravan Podi event at Nayapalli, the city administration have decided to divert vehicles on the way from Cuttack to Khurda to CRP Square via Jayadev Vihar and Power House Square. Similarly, road from Vani Vihar Square to Rupali Square would be closed due to Ravan Podi at Saheed Nagar.

Police have also tightened security and asked the puja committees to begin immersion rituals as early as 8am tomorrow. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation on the other hand has dug up two more artificial ponds for immersion. With this there are five such ponds that have been prepared for the purpose.

The civic body had dug up one such pond at River Kuakhai, two at Daya and one each at Tankapani Road and Chandaka. "As many as 30 idols could be immersed in each single pond," said mayor Ananta Narayan Jena.

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