24,000 cops to man streets as Mumbai gears up for Anant Chaturdashi on Sept 17

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More than 24,000 police personnel will be deployed for the immersion processions on Anant Chaturdashi, the final day of the Ganpati festival in Mumbai, on Tuesday to prevent untoward incidents, an officer said on Monday.

According to the police, drone surveillance will be in place at important immersion sites such as Girgaon Chowpatty, Dadar, Bandra, Juhu, Versova, Powai Lake, and Madh Island, news agency PTI reported.

The police personnel will include nine additional commissioners of police (ACP), 40 deputy commissioners of police (DCP), and 56 assistant commissioners of police, the officer said.

As devotees will throng the roads in large numbers to witness the immersion processions, the city police will create a 'green corridor' to prevent traffic snarls and ensure seamless movement of vehicles and connectivity between eastern and western suburbs, the officer added.

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

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.

2,500 personnel to man traffic in Mumbai

He said that besides the local police deployment, State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) platoons, quick response teams (QRT), riots control police (RCP), delta, combat, home guards, and Maharashtra Security Force have also been roped in for the security arrangements.

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

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

Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anil Kumbhare said more than 2,500 personnel will be deployed to ensure smooth movement of vehicles across the city during the immersion processions.

While entry to some roads will be restricted, some other routes will be made one-ways, and some will have diversions, he said.

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

The police are also coordinating with the Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force (RPF), 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 officer said.

(With PTI inputs)