Massive security in Hyderabad for Ganesh idol immersion, traffic diversions in place

Elaborate security arrangements have been made to oversee the smooth conduct of Ganesh immersion in the city on Friday, September 9, police said. Government sources said about 20,000 Ganesh idols were registered in the city for the event. "There will be about 20,000 police personnel to oversee the Ganesh immersion peacefully tomorrow. The number includes special police also," Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Jitender told PTI on Thursday. However, state government sources said the number of idols to be immersed would be over 50,000 with several unregistered pandals.

A press release from Cyberabad Police said about 8,000 police personnel have been deployed for the immersion programme under its limits. Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat said over 5,000 police personnel would be deployed for the grand event. "Last year, we had 14,000 idols. This year, we expect the number to go up. We made all the arrangements for the programme. The immersion is expected to continue for two or three days," the official said. In total, over 25,000 policemen have been deployed within the limits of three police commissionerates – Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand said that tight security arrangements were in place for the immersion procession, which will start from Balapur and pass through various parts of the city to reach Hussain Sagar in the heart of the city. For the first time, the police commissioner and other top officials will monitor the festivities from the newly built state-of-the-art integrated police command and control centre. Top police officers will monitor the procession from the command and control centre through CCTV cameras.

Liquor shops and bars will remain closed within the limits of all three police commissionerates. Additional security measures have also been put in place due to a row over immersion in Hussain Sagar lake in view of courts prohibiting immersion of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols. The government of Telangana has clarified that only idols made of clay will be allowed to be immersed in Hussain Sagar per the orders of the High Court. POP idols can be immersed in 31 lakes and 74 ponds across the city, it said.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has deployed 280 cranes and 130 mobile cranes for immersion. More than 10,000 sanitation workers have been engaged to help with the immersion process. The High Court, in its order dated July 21, 2022, has maintained that immersion of POP idols in Hussain Sagar is prohibited, starting this year. The last couple of days saw Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi (BGUS) organising protests demanding the government to allow immersion of idols without restrictions.

BJP state president Bandi Sanjay had threatened that if idols are not allowed to be immersed in Hussain Sagar, the organisers will be forced to carry the idols to Pragati Bhavan, the official residence of the Chief Minister. Meanwhile, in view of the immersion processions on Friday, the state government has declared a holiday for all government schools and educational institutions in three districts -- Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medchal Malkajgiri.

The mammoth procession brings the entire city to a halt, and police have imposed traffic restrictions to avoid congestion. The main procession starts from Keshavagiri and passes through Chandrayangutta – MBNR crossroads – Falaknuma ROB – Aliabad – Nagulchinta – Charminar – Madina – Afzalgunj – SA Bazar – MJ Market – Abids – Basheerbagh – Liberty – Ambedkar Statue towards NTR Marg, Necklace Road. There are several other processions from Secunderabad, Uppal, Tolichowki, Rethibowli and Mehdipatnam, as well as idols coming from many other areas. 

No traffic other than the idols’ procession will be allowed to move on the main procession route between 6 am on September 9 to 10 am on September 10. Traffic restrictions on Necklace Road and Tank Bund from Telugu Talli Junction to Khairatabad via Necklace road, NTR Marg, IMAX may extend from 6 am on September 9 to the evening of September 10, Hyderabad police said. 

The main traffic diversion points are:

> Hyderabad South: Keshavagiri, Chandrayangutta crossroads, MBNR crossroads, Engine Bowli, Shamsheergunj, Nagulchintha, Himmathpura, Haribowli, Asra Hospital, Mogulpura, Lakkadkote, Panch Mohala, Paris Cafe, Gulzar House, Mitti ka shere, Kali Kaman, Osman Bazaar, Sheran Hotel, Madina crossroads, Nayapool, SJ Rotary, Arman Hotel, MJ Bridge, Dar Ul Shifa crossroads, City College

> Hyderabad East: Chanchalguda Jail crossroads, Moosarambagh, Chaderghat Bridge, Shivaji Bridge, Afzalgunj, Puthilibowli crossroads, Troop Bazar, Jambagh X Roads, Andhra Bank Koti.

> Hyderabad West: Tope Khana Mosque, Alaska Hotel Junction, Osmangunj, SankerBagh and Seena Hotel, Ajantha Gate near Exhibition Grounds, Abkari Lane, Taj Island, Chapel Road, AR Petrol Pump at KLK Building.

> Hyderabad Central: Chapel Road entry, Gadwal Centre at GPO, Shalimar Theatre, Gun foundry, Skyline road entry, Bharath Scouts & Guides junction in Domalguda, Kalanjali at Control Room, Liberty Junction, MCH Office Y junction, BRK Bhavan junction near Telugu Talli junction, Iqbal Minar, Ravindra Bharathi, Dwaraka Hotel Junction, Khairatabad Junction (Visweswaraiah Statue), Children’s Park, Mariott Hotel junction, Kawadiguda Junction, MusheeerabadX road, RTC crossroads,  KattaMaisamma Temple at Lower Tank Bund, Indira Park Junction.

> Hyderabad North (Secunderabad): Traffic will not be allowed to enter the Necklace Road and Upper Tank Bund from Karbala Maidan, Buddha Bhavan, Sailing Club and Nallagutta Junction. 

Traffic will be diverted at the following points from 6 am on September 9 to 10 am on September 10, till the completion of immersion – CTO, YMCA, Paradise crossroads, Patny crossroads, Bata crossroads, Adavaiah crossroads, Ghasmandi crossroads.

With PTI and IANS inputs