Hyderabad CP reviews Ganesh idol immersion arrangements, calls for strict safety and traffic measures

Hyderabad City Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar on Wednesday chaired an inter-departmental coordination meeting at Visvesvaraya Bhavan in Khairatabad to review arrangements for Ganesh Chaturthi and idol immersion procession in the city.

During the meeting, Mr. Sajjanar directed all departments to work in close coordination and take preventive measures based on lessons from the past five years. He instructed officials to remove loose and hanging electricity, cable and internet wires along procession routes and ensure adequate height clearance to prevent accidents.

He also directed officials to ensure that Ganesh mandapams receive safe electrical connections in accordance with regulations, with mandatory earthing and approvals from the Electrical Inspectorate. Electricity officials were asked to coordinate with the police and inform local police stations before carrying out power shutdowns or wire-clearance works.

All ongoing road, nala and slab works along the main and feeder immersion routes have been directed to be completed before September 14-15. No new road digging, drilling or cable-laying works will be permitted until the idol immersion process is completed, officials said.

In view of ongoing Metro Rail construction in the Old City, officials were also urged to expedite the shifting of power poles along the affected routes. The Health department was asked to set up 26 special medical camps across the city, along with dedicated camps in Balapur area. The camps will be equipped with ambulances and round-the-clock paramedical staff. 

Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation officials were directed to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply and sanitation during the festivities.

For traffic management, authorities were instructed to identify adequate parking and vehicle-holding areas. Transport department officials were asked to arrange sufficient buses, goods vehicles and drivers. The police also directed departments to submit advance, shift-wise details of static and mobile cranes, including their operators, supervisors and maintenance teams, to facilitate the immersion procession.

Authorities were asked to keep the public updated about important arrangements, including the closing of queues at major Ganesh idols such as the Khairatabad Ganesh, through television ticker scrolls and press notifications.

Special public transport arrangements are also being planned for the final immersion day on September 25. Metro Rail services are expected to operate until 1 a.m. while overnight MMTS services will connect key stations including Nampally, Lakdi-ka-pul, Khairatabad, Sanjeevaiah Park, James Street and Begumpet.