All set for Ganesh idol immersion in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: All set for mass Ganesh Shobha Yatra on Tuesday, as the pandal organizers were seen making preparations for the grand send off to Pratham Pujya Ganpati. The 70-feet Khairtabad Maha Ganesh will be immersed first, followed by Balapur Ganesh and other procession from different corners of the city. Police made special security arrangements in the sensitive areas of the Old city, with the two important festivals Ganesh and Milad-un-Nabi coinciding for the second consecutive year.

The city decked up for Ganesh idol immersion with high security and traffic restrictions along the procession route. The administration has made elaborate arrangements for the smooth immersion of the idols in Hussain Sagar and other lakes across the city.

The Shobha Yatra of massive Khairtabad’s Bada Ganesh idol will start around 9 am and will reach NTR Marg around 1 pm and the process of immersion would be over by 2 pm. The GHMC, HMWS&SB, HMDA, Tourism Department, TSSPDCL and the Fire Departments have made necessary arrangements and have deployed personnel and machinery to ensure that the procession continues without any delays.

The Balapur Ganesh pandal is the oldest in Hyderabad and leads the Vinayaka procession in the Old city covering a 19 km route from Balapur to Hussain Sagar. Processions from the adjoining areas will join the main procession of Balapur Ganesh. The Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi said that over 1.4 lakh Ganesh idols were installed across the city this year.

Arrangements at place by GHMC

Authorities arranged immersion platforms in NTR Marg, People’s plaza, Buddha Bhavan for Ganesh idol immersion. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Commissioner, Amrapali Kata on Monday inspected the arrangements at Necklace Road and stated that all arrangements were in place for smooth conduct of Ganesh idol immersion on Tuesday.

She informed that as many as 15,000 staff members and officials deployed from the different wings of sanitation, engineering and others, round-the-clock in three shifts to ensure the smooth conduct of idol immersion. And an additional 500 member staff will also be deployed for the next day of immersion.

Additionally, to monitor the situation 10 control rooms were set up across the city apart from command control manned by additional commissioner level officers. Already, 73 artificial ponds, including 27 baby ponds, 24 portable ponds and 22 excavated ponds, were set across Greater Hyderabad. Apart from DRF personnel, deployment of 100 professional divers/expert swimmers near ponds in the city. As many as 468 cranes were in place across the city and 309 mobile toilets and over 52,000 temporary lights have been set up.

Special security arrangements were made in the sensitive areas

Special security arrangements were made in the sensitive areas in the city by the Hyderabad city police for the series of events that will be held at Public Gardens and Parade Grounds, Ganesh immersion and the observance of Milad-un-Nabi, the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed.

According to police, for last few days Blue Colts and patrol teams increased the patrolling in lanes, bylanes, and mixed-community localities to maintain peace and ensure smooth conduct of festivals. Hyderabad city commissioner C V Anand highlighted several critical elements are taken into account when formulating bandobast plans. He emphasized the implementation of security measures, the importance of intelligence gathering, and the development of a comprehensive action plan.

Referring to lapses from last year, he said the importance of implementing a strong traffic management strategy, especially at key intersections and crossover points like Basheerbagh and MJ Market.

Additionally, anti-sabotage inspections, monitoring social media, and deploying SHE Teams, drones, and camera-equipped vehicles. Furthermore, comprehensive discussions took place regarding the arrangements for the Milad-un-Nabi procession on the 19th, along with other operational considerations.

Box

Revanth Reddy reviews arrangements from Command Control Centre

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday reviewed the arrangements for the Ganesh immersion process at the Command Control Centre in Banjara Hills and directed that Command Centre staff should issue alerts to field personnel every hour to ensure smooth conduct of idol immersion.

The review was attended by Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand and other senior police officials. The Commissioner informed the Chief Minister that 733 CCTV cameras were being used to monitor the immersion process across Greater Hyderabad.

Revanth Reddy stressed the importance of paying extra attention to problematic areas and instructed that records be maintained for blind spots and hotspots across the city.

He suggested that special monitoring should be arranged at the main immersion sites, including Tank Bund and other major ponds. Additionally, the Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure that no issues arise during the immersion process and to take all necessary precautions.