24K cops, drones to be deployed in Mumbai for Ganesh immersion

More than 24,000 police personnel will be deployed for immersion processions on Anant Chaturdashi, the tenth and final day of the Ganpati festival in Mumbai on Tuesday, an official said on Monday.

Drone surveillance will be in place at important immersion sites such as Girgaon Chowpatty, Dadar, Bandra, Juhu, Versova, Powai Lake, and Madh Island, the official said.

More than 24,000 police personnel, including nine additional commissioners of police, 40 deputy commissioners of police, and 56 assistant commissioners of police, will be deployed in the city to prevent untoward incidents, he said.

In view of the possible traffic snarls, as faithful throng roads in large numbers to witness the immersion processions, the city police will create a 'green corridor' for seamless movement of vehicles and connectivity between eastern and western suburbs, he said.

The corridor will be for essential and emergency services and those travelling for emergencies, he said, adding the Coastal Road will also remain open for 24 hours.

Talking to the media on Monday, joint commissioner of police (law and order) Satyanarayan Choudhary said the city police are on high alert to prevent any law and order issues.

He said that besides the local police deployment, SRPF platoons, quick response teams, riots control police, delta, combat, home guards, and Maharashtra Security Force have also been roped in.

The police will maintain a strong vigil with the help of more than 8,000 CCTVs, and the safety of women and children in crowded places will be the top priority, he said.

The police deployment will remain in place for the Eid-E-Milad procession scheduled for Wednesday, the official said.

Joint commissioner of police (traffic) Anil Kumbhare said more than 2,500 traffic police personnel will ensure smooth movement of vehicles across the city during immersion processions.

Entry to some roads will be restricted, and some routes will be made one-ways, while some will have diversions, he said.

At least 12 old bridges on the Central and Western Railway lines are in dangerous condition. Ganesh mandals have been advised to take precautionary measures while using them and to avoid crowding at these places, the official said.

The police are also coordinating with the Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force, and local trains will be operational throughout the night on the immersion day, he said.

Mumbaikars should remain alert during this period, not fall prey to rumours, and contact the police in an emergency, the official said.