The Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Future City police have stepped up preparations for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations and immersion processions, focusing on traffic management, public transport, safety arrangements and coordination with organisers.

In Hyderabad, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) D. Joel Davis held separate coordination and review meetings with senior traffic police officers and Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) officials on Thursday. The meetings focused on ensuring smooth movement of vehicles and pedestrians during the festival, particularly along procession and immersion routes, major junctions and other sensitive locations.

TGSRTC officials were asked to maintain continuous coordination with the Traffic Police, operate buses efficiently and modify routes wherever required in view of traffic diversions during the immersion processions.

Special arrangements are also being made for devotees visiting the Khairatabad Ganesh. Officers have been directed to ensure adequate manpower, barricading, signage, temporary toilets, parking facilities and public address systems. Drones will be deployed to monitor key procession routes, while arrangements for bandobust personnel and VIP movements are also being reviewed.

In Cyberabad, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Sunpreet Singh reviewed immersion arrangements at IDL Lake in Kukatpally on Thursday. He inspected the IDL Lake entrance, Rainbow Vista T-Junction and Rangadhamuni Temple U-Turn and directed officials to facilitate regular traffic movement wherever possible.

During periods of heavy idol movement, suitable diversions towards JNTU and Moosapet will be implemented. Seven cranes have been arranged at IDL Lake for immersion, including two earmarked for idols above 20 feet, while HYDRAA will provide swimmers.

At Kaithalapur Signal, Mr. Singh reviewed evening peak-hour congestion and directed officials to examine the feasibility of installing automatic number plate recognition cameras for vehicle counting and traffic analysis.

In Future City, police have begun engaging directly with Ganesh pandal organisers and local representatives ahead of the celebrations. A coordination meeting with organisers and village elders was held at Devaki Garden Function Hall in Talakondapally on Thursday as part of the festival preparations.

Organisers were advised to obtain the required permissions online and ensure proper electrical wiring and fire-safety measures at pandals. They were also asked to maintain discipline, avoid causing inconvenience to the public and vehicular traffic, comply with prescribed noise regulations and maintain communal harmony.

Immersion processions will have to follow designated routes with adequate safety precautions. Organisers were asked to remain in close coordination with the police and immediately report any suspicious activity or untoward incident.

At Kothur, DCP Shadnagar Ch. Sirisha had earlier addressed a peace committee meeting with Ganesh pandal organisers and reviewed arrangements for the celebrations. She stressed public safety, discipline, proper electrical wiring, fire-safety measures, adequate lighting and deployment of responsible volunteers at pandals.

Across the three commissionerates, the police have stressed coordination with organisers and civic agencies as preparations intensify for the festival and immersion processions.

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.