Hyderabad, September 10: Nearly 30,000 police personnel, including paramilitary forces, have been deployed for the conduct of the centralised procession-cum-immersion of Ganesh idols in Hussainsagar and other water bodies on Sunday. Over 50,000 idols in various forms and sizes are expected to be immersed on September 11, with 40,000 of them in Hussainsagar alone. The centralised procession from Balapur in Ranga Reddy will start at 9 am after the laddu auction.
The additional commissioner of police (traffic), Mr C.V. Anand, said they were prepared to manage vehicular traffic in case the immersion process extends up to afternoon on Monday. Meanwhile, various pandal organisers wanted the government to declare a holiday on Monday altho-ugh the Bhagyanagar Gan-esh Utsav Samithi said it was up to the government to take a decision.
The city police is deploying 35 bomb disposal squads, 40 access control teams, prodders, deep search mine detectors, under-carriage mirrors, explosive detectors, anti-sabotage teams and 30 sniffer dogs at important pandals, temples, mosques and other identified sensitive spots and areas. The city police commissioner, Mr A.K. Khan has appealed to the peace committee members, the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi and people of all communities to maintain harmony.
The Mayor, Ms Kartika Reddy, meanwhile, directed the GHMC officials to improve sanitation on the Ganesh routes and arrange for mobile toilets on Tank Bund, Necklace Road and other spots between Balapur and Tank Bund. Meanwhile, advertisers are making hay while the floodlights erected for Ganesh immersion are shining at Tank Bund. Placards and glow-signs dot the venue that is expecting huge footfalls during the last few days of the festival.
Be it the traffic police or banquet halls, dress designers or crane operators, everyone has joined the bandwagon trying to grab the eyeballs. “As large crowds are expected in the Tank Bund-Necklace Road area during the immersion, it makes sense to put up advertisements here,” said an advertising professional.
—Source:DC