Ganesh Chaturthi: Mumbai police issues traffic advisory, over 40,000 personnel to be deployed for security

Mumbai Police on Saturday issued traffic advisory for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in the city which will begin on September 2.

Pranay Ashok, Mumbai Police PRO, said the traffic department has issued certain guidelines and some roads have also been closed ahead of the Ganpati festivities.

"The festivities will begin from September 2 and this is one of the biggest festivals celebrated in the state. We are going to deploy more than 40,000 personnel in the city. Mumbai Police is geared up for this mega festival. This is the time when we face the biggest challenge. We have been preparing for it since past one month," he said.

The Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is dedicated to the Lord of new beginnings, Ganesha. It started as a reason for get-togethers and meet-ups during the British rule, but today it is marked with the installation of the deity's idol at home and at elaborate pandals.

Traffic advisory

Mumbai police have decided to shut 53 roads in the city for a few hours throughout the 10-day festival while 56 other roads will be open only for one-way traffic. To avoid traffic jams on the day of Ganpati Visarjan, the traffic police has put a complete ban on car parking on some roads on the given day.

There will be traffic diversion on some routes on September 3, 6, 7, 8 and 12 while some roads will be completely closed for vehicular movement between September 2-12. These include Dr BA Road from Bharat Mata to Bawla Compound, Chinchpokli railway bridge, SS Rao Road between Naik Chaur to Lalbagh Police Chowki and Dattaram Lad Road. 

Movement of heavy vehicles on some old bridges will not be allowed.

Security 

More than 40,000 officers and police personnel will be deployed across Mumbai ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi festival beginning September 2.

"We have got alliance from State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), Rapid Action Force (RAF), RCPs and QRTs, Civil Defence, home guards. All these forces will be deployed across the city to cover the mandals. Specifically for Lal Bagh mandal, we have deployed around 10 DCPs four ACPs and 20 inspectors," Ashok added.

7,700 public mandals, 1.62 lakh domestic mandals

Mumbai Police said that inter-departmental coordination with other agencies has already been worked out to ensure no inconvenience is caused to the general public.

"All our meetings with the coordinating agencies like Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), fire brigade, coast guard, Public Works Department (PWD) and MMB etc., have been completed. We have also coordinated with the Ganpati Mandals that are going to host the festival. So, far we have got 7,703 public Ganpati mandals registered with us," he said.

According to Mumbai police PRO, the state police have around 1 lakh 62 thousand domestic mandals and over eleven thousand Gauri Ganpati mandals. There are 129 spots for emersion in the city and the city police is all geared up for adequate security arrangements during the festivities.

(With ANI inputs)