Mumbai: Traffic diversions due to rush of devotees in Lalbaug

File photo for representation

Commuters in Mumbai were met with unexpected disruptions in their daily commutes today as several bus routes were diverted, causing confusion and inconvenience during the morning rush hour.

According to Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport, bus route numbers 09, 67, 69, and 134 were the first to face significant diversions. Starting at 08:20 hours, the buses lying on these routes were diverted in the down direction from Sadashiv Gopal Naik Chowk. They were rerouted via Saibaba Road, G. D. Ambekar Road, and S. Y. Chowk.

Meanwhile, at the revered Lalbaug area, due to the huge rush of visitors, buses plying on route 66 were rerouted from Bharatmata Signal via Curry Road Bridge, in the down direction only starting at 7:50 hours.

Also read: Mumbai: BEST to operate additional buses during Ganeshotsav festival

Buses serving route numbers 44 and 50 were also affected by diversions from Bharatmata Signal. Starting at 7:50 hours, they were rerouted via Saibaba Road up to Shravan Yashavante Chowk in both directions.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of the Ganeshotsav festival in Mumbai, the civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) authority has announced adding extra bus services from Tuesday.

The Ganeshotsav festival begins on September 19 and will conclude on September 27, 2023. Devotees in large numbers gather infamous pandals across the city to see the huge Ganpati idols and art decor.

According to the BEST officials, this year, they have organised additional bus services at night in areas such as Lalbaugh, Parel, Girgaon, Chembur, and Colaba areas of Mumbai.

"Many devotees and tourists go on pandal hopping at the night time during the 10-day of the festival. The additional BEST bus service will the people to travel from one place to another easily," the BEST official said.

According to the official, BEST buses with numbers 4, 7, 8, A-21, A-42, 44, 66, 69, and C-40 will have extra bus services.

The Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha. It is one of the most popular Hindu festivals which is celebrated for 10 days.

Meanwhile, last week, the Mumbai Police issued an order stating that citizens should not take photographs of floating or half-submerged idols after the immersion days during the 10-day Ganeshotsav festival.

The preventive order further stated that citizens shall not publish or circulate floating or half-submerged idol photos from immersion days.

According to the preventive order, clicking such photos is prohibited under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 (Act No. Il of 1973).

The order stated, "People take photographs of such idols lying ashore or being taken by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) workers for reimmersion and publish/circulate such photographs which may likely outrage religious feelings may result into disturbance of public peace and tranquility. Immediate measures are necessary to prohibit taking, publishing, and circulating such photographs after immersion," the order further stated.