Mandals have been asked to install CCTVs and not publicise visits by celebrities
With the city gearing up to welcome the elephant god, the police are busy with last minute preparations of their own.
Close on the heels of the attacks in Ahmedabad and Bangalore, the city police aren’t leaving anything to chance. To stress on the importance of security during the festive season, the 8,800 sarvajanik ganeshotsav mandals in Mumbai have been asked to install CCTV cameras.
“It is imperative that the mandals focus on tightening their security to avoid any untoward incident,” said KL Prasad, joint commissioner of police, law and order.
“Police stations across the city conducted a meeting with mandal members in their area and have asked them to install CCTV cameras. Hopefully, since many mandals can afford the cameras, they will not hesitate to install it this year.”
Prasad further said that they have joined hands with the Fire and Safety Association of India (FSAI) and have also requested for 10 platoons of the State Reserve Police Force to help out during the festival.
Police have also asked famous mandals, including Lalbaugcha Raja in Parel, GSB in Wadala, Khetwadi in Girgaum and Tadwadi in Mazgaon, which attract several
Bollywood personalities and politicians, to keep their VIP visits low-key this year.
Prasad said that they have asked the organisers to avoid announcing the names and timings of the famous visitors to avoid any untoward incident.
However, Sudhir Salvi, secretary of Lalbaugcha Raja claimed that they never made announcements before any famous personality’s visit.
According to Salvi, since they are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the mandal, they have taken extra precautions to reduce the crowd. “The volunteers have been asked to make the area around the pandal as well adjoining vicinities completely secure. No one can enter the premises to loiter around. Either they will have to get in line for the darshan or stay outside,” added Salvi.
Yashwant Jadhav, chair person of the Tadwadi Ganeshotsav Mandal, said, “We don’t usually publicise a celebrity’s visit. Only the concerned police station is informed.”
However, to encourage better security, the police have also organised the ‘Best Secured Ganesh Mandal’ award. “They will be judged in terms of crowd management, security systems installed, the fire fighting equipment, exit options and alertness of the security staff,” said Prasad.
Prasad further said that by implementing these precautionary measures, the mandals will make the policemen’s job a little easier.
