Bappa's Visarjan,
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How Chembur's Ganesh Festival eliminated a diesel generator truck — cutting energy costs by ~60% across an 11-hour, 15 km procession.
SmartBatt units mounted on the DJ truck at Chembur — setup in progress before the procession.
~60%
Cost Saving
vs. DG setup
11 hrs
Continuous Runtime
No refuelling
221 kg
CO₂ Not Emitted
~82.5 L diesel avoided
2 units
SmartBatt Deployed
One per truck
Client Context
The Chembur Ganesh Festival Association conducts an annual immersion procession (visarjan) through the streets of Chembur, culminating at Dadar Chowpatty beach. The procession involved a three-truck convoy — a Ganpati murti truck, a DJ & lighting truck, and historically, a dedicated diesel generator truck positioned between them to supply power to both.
The procession drew 100–200 attendees following on foot from 8 PM, with the DJ running till 1 AM and the Ganpati truck continuing to Dadar Chowpatty by 7 AM — an 11-hour operation spanning approximately 15 km of Mumbai streets.
The Challenge
Cable safety risk
4–5 volunteers were required to hold live electrical cables off the road for the entire 15 km route — a sustained safety hazard across busy Mumbai streets.
Rigid convoy synchronisation
All three trucks — Ganpati murti, DJ & lighting, and the DG — had to remain in precise formation. Any gap risked disconnection mid-route.
Fumes and noise for devotees
100–200 devotees followed on foot, breathing diesel exhaust for the full procession duration. DG noise also bled into DJ audio, degrading music clarity.
Double diesel burn
The DG burned fuel to generate power. The truck carrying the DG burned additional diesel to move. Two engines running for the same purpose.
Festival-season cost premium
At festival-season rates, the all-in DG cost — covering the unit, fuel, operator, and a dedicated vehicle in the convoy — was significantly higher than the equivalent SmartBatt deployment.
The SmartBatt Solution
Two SmartBatt units — one per truck. No inter-truck cables. DG truck eliminated from convoy entirely.
Ganpati murti truck
8 kW / 20 kWh unit
⏱ 11 hours continuous
🔋 25–40% SOC remaining at end
Powered all illumination on the murti float for the full journey to Dadar Chowpatty.
DJ & lighting truck
10 kW / 20 kWh unit
⏱ 5 hours (DJ off at 1 AM)
🔋 65% SOC remaining at shutdown
Powered the full PA system, LED wash lights, and crowd lighting with significant headroom.
~60% lower energy cost
The combined SmartBatt deployment — both units, full 11-hour coverage — came in at significantly less than the all-in festival-season DG cost, which includes the generator unit, fuel, operator, and a dedicated vehicle in the convoy.
Pre-Event Proof of Concept
SmartBatt conducted a live load test with the DJ sound vendor several days before the event — confirming the 10 kW unit could handle the full PA rig without interruption. This built the vendor's and association's confidence to commit. Pre-event POC is now standard SmartBatt practice for all first-time deployments.
Deployment in Pictures
DJ truck LED wash lights and crowd — powered silently throughout the night.
Marigold flowers placed on the SmartBatt unit by the festival association — a mark of blessing.
200-300 devotees dancing alongside — no fumes, clean air throughout the 15 km route.
SmartBatt units on both trucks — independent power, no inter-truck cabling.
Pre-event POC session — full PA system tested against SmartBatt load capacity before event day.
Cost Comparison
Pricing model: lumpsum for the full deployment. DG benchmark reflects all-in festival-season rates.
| Cost Component | DG Setup | SmartBatt |
|---|---|---|
| Shift / rental (all-in, festival rate) | Higher | Significantly lower |
| PWD License | Included | — |
| Dedicated generator vehicle in convoy | Required | Eliminated |
| Overall | Baseline | ~60% lower |
vs. equivalent DG setup at festival-season all-in rates
Impact Delivered
Commercial Impact
Switching to SmartBatt reduced energy costs by approximately 60% vs. equivalent DG deployment at festival-season rates. The generator truck was eliminated entirely — removing fuel logistics, sourcing, and coordination overhead during a peak-demand period.
Environmental Impact
- ~82.5 litres of diesel avoided (62 KVA · 7.5 L/hr · 11 hrs)
- ~221 kg CO₂ not emitted (at 2.68 kg/litre)
- DG truck engine also eliminated — additional unmeasured fuel savings
- Zero particulate / NOx emissions at ground level for 15 km of procession route
Operational Impact
- ✓Cable safety risk fully eliminated — volunteers freed from road duty
- ✓Convoy sync constraint removed — trucks moved independently at their own pace
- ✓Clean air for 100–200 devotees for the entire 15 km route
- ✓65% SOC remaining on DJ unit after 5 hrs — substantial headroom demonstrated
- ✓25–40% SOC remaining on murti unit after 11 hrs — no range anxiety
- ✓Zero fumes, zero noise bleed into DJ audio
The Chembur Ganesh Festival Association expressed strong satisfaction with the deployment. With no diesel generator, devotees experienced the full procession — from Chembur streets to Dadar Chowpatty — in clean air, with uninterrupted music and full illumination of the Ganpati murti for the entire 11-hour journey.
🎉 Association invited SmartBatt for Durga Puja — unsolicited repeat engagement