Over 50,000 police personnel will enforce bandobast on the final day of the Ganeshotsav on Sunday. Police officers said that over 65,000 Ganeshotsav mandals and more than 1.5 lakh households had Ganesh idols this year. There are 162 immersion points in the city.
Mumbai Police spokesperson Deputy Commissioner of Police Manjunath Singe said, “Apart from our strength of 50,000 personnel, we also have 12 companies of the State Reserve Police Force and one company of the Rapid Action Force enforcing bandobast on Sunday. We will also be assisted by other paramilitary forces like the Quick Response Team, Force One, Home Guards, Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad and the Dog Squad.”
Help centres set up
Mr. Singe said over 5,000 cameras installed all over the city will be monitored in real time at the Mumbai Police Control Room to look out for any signs of trouble, including theft, overcrowding and crimes against women. He said, “We also have teams in plainclothes looking out for any anti-social elements who try to take advantage of the dense crowds to target women. Help centres have been set up at various locations to provide first aid.” The police have also taken into account the recent altercation between police officers and volunteers at the Lalbaugcha Raja pandal. A special bandobast has been deployed in the area for Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Traffic Police has deployed 3,161 personnel and 1,500 wardens to manage the flow of traffic. As many as 53 roads will be shut for vehicular traffic on Sunday. While 56 roads will be declared one ways, parking will be banned on 99 roads and heavy vehicles will be prohibited on 18 roads in the city.
Mr. Singe said, “Special teams will be working only on anti-terror and anti-sabotage measures. There is no specific terror alert. However, we always operate on a high-alert basis during festivals in Mumbai.”
The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), in collaboration with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has made arrangements for foreign nationals to witness the last day of Ganeshotsav. An air-conditioned, elevated viewing deck with a capacity of 300 people will be set up on the Chowpatty. The foreign tourists will be offered a pick-up and drop facility.
Special tourist passes
Ashutosh Rathod, MTDC Joint Director, said, “Tourists can obtain passes by registering on the agency’s website free of cost. Souvenirs will be given away at Chowpatty on Sunday. The MTDC, BMC and the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport undertaking are working in collaboration to promote the final day of the festival as a tourist event.”
Basic amenities like clean drinking water, mobile toilets, medical assistance, lifeguards, fire brigade, CCTV cameras and watchtowers have also been provided at the Girgaum Chowpatty, officials said. Vishwas Mote, assistant municipal commissioner, said that they have increased the number of pontoons for immersion this year and encouraged people to use them to avoid any incidents of drowning.
