Mumbai Traffic Police set up control rooms, watch towers as Ganeshotsav begins

Representational images. Pic/iStock

Mumbaikars welcomed Lord Ganesha on Wednesday in their homes and pooja pandals with fervour, marking the commencement of the ten-day Ganeshotsav which is being celebrated without any Covid-19 restrictions after two years.

As the ten-day Ganpati festival began, Mumbai Traffic Police have set up five control rooms at important places, erected watch towers, and imposed traffic and parking restrictions, reported PTI.

An official told PTI that barricading is done on important roads in the metropolis to segregate the procession crowd and the returning crowd for safety purposes. Traffic restrictions have been imposed beginning Thursday.

Also Read: Ganesh Chaturthi: Mumbai cops welcome 'Police Bappa' for Ganeshotsav

The official further added that as many as 74 roads have been closed for traffic while one-way vehicular movement will be allowed on 54 roads. Plying of goods vehicles is banned on 57 roads while parking restrictions are imposed at 114 places in the city, the official said. Traffic control rooms have been set up at important immersion places including the sea fronts at Girgaon, Shivaji Park, and Juhu, Malad-Malwani T Junction and the Ganesh Ghat in Powai. Police cranes, BMC cranes and high-capacity cranes are being stationed at strategic locations to handle contingencies in the event of the breakdown of vehicles.

The immersion processions are taken out on varying days during the festival. While household idols are generally immersed five days after Ganesh Chaturthi, big idols are taken out in processions on the last day of the festival, 'Anant Chaturdashi', which falls on September 9.

As the festival is celebrated on a bigger scale this time without pandemic curbs after a gap of two years, the Mumbai Police have appealed to citizens to cooperate by following traffic rules.

(With input from PTI)