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Security beefed up for Ganesh processions

Thousands of large idols are immersed at places such as Chowpatty, Shivaji Park, Juhu and Versova.

Security was stepped up across Mumbai on Saturday on the eve of Ganpati 'visarjan' when thousands of idols of the elephant-headed Hindu deity will be immersed in the sea and water bodies.
Thousands of policemen and security personnel will fan across the metropolis to maintain law and order. Every year, millions of residents come out on the streets on the 10th day of the Ganesh festival, as they take the idols for immersion.
Since 'visarjan' falls on a Sunday this year, the police expect less of chaos on the streets as traffic is expected to be minimal. Many of the idols, including the famous Lalbaug-cha Raja wind their way through the narrow roads of central and south Mumbai before reaching Chowpatty.
Thousands of large idols are immersed at places such as Chowpatty, Shivaji Park, Juhu and Versova.
But the large idols, which are carried in trucks, take hours to reach the beaches. Most of the processions begin heading for the sea in the afternoon and the large ones are immersed only late at night.
Besides uniformed policemen, hundreds of officials in civilian clothes will also be maintaining a vigil. Recent years have seen growing instances of anti-social elements taking advantage of the crowds and trying to molest women.
Thousands of cameras have also been positioned along all the routes to the beaches. The Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) will also be deploying nearly 1,500 personnel including lifeguards and volunteers near the beaches.
The Indian Navy will also be on alert to help rescue people who are trapped in the sea. Helicopters will also be operating along the coast to monitor the situation.
The 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi is the most popular festival in Maharashtra. While the idols are immersed in the sea in Mumbai and other coastal cities, Ganesh mandals usually take the idols to rivers and water bodies in other cities in the interiors.
But this year because of the acute shortage of water in many parts of the state, Ganesh mandals have volunteered to immerse the large idols in water tankers and the smaller ones in buckets.
In Pune, for instance, all the large mandals have told authorities that they would immerse the idols in water tankers. Their move has embarrassed politicians, who had wanted to release additional water from the reservoirs for the immersions.
Girish Bapat, the guardian minister for Pune and a leading BJP leader, had promised to release additional water for the immersions, despite many questioning his move since the city is facing a water crisis.
nithin@khaleejtimes.com