Devotees bid adieu to Lord Ganesha in Mumbai

Mumbai, Sept 27: The ten-day-long Ganesh Chaturthi culminated here as thousands of devotees today immersed idols of the elephant-headed deity at various designated spots across the city amidst fanfare and tight security.

The civic administration, Mumbai Police, fire brigade, SRPF (State Reserve Police Force) and ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) forces have put in place elaborate security arrangements to ensure a peaceful 'visarjan' (immersion).

Apart from 71 natural immersion spots, 26 artificial spots have been created across the city and in the suburbs, a Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) release said.

A team of 150 trained fire brigade volunteers and lifeguards have been deployed at major immersion sites like Girgaum Chowpatty, Juhu beach, Powai lake, Dadar, Madh jetty, Marve.

Cranes, watchtowers and floodlights were installed at most of the major immersion spots, beside 103 CCTV cameras fixed at different locations in South Mumbai that will allow security forces to keep a close vigil on the immersion activity which is on since early this morning.

According to a statement issued by Mumbai Police on preparations undertaken for 'visarjan', 35055 assistant sub- inspectors and constables, 4,500 women constables along with 250 women officers, 1,000 SRPF jawans and 250 ITBP personnel, have been deployed to maintain law and order.

To ensure smooth vehicular movement on the immersion routes, traffic police has closed 49 roads, while 55 roads have been marked as 'one way'.

Parking restrictions have been imposed on 99 roads and 18 roads have been blocked for heavy traffic, a senior traffic department officer said.

Central Railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR) have cancelled the weekly 'mega block' (on Sunday) for the ease of lakhs of commuters.

During the mega block carried out CR or WR, suburban services remain affected for certain period between specific stations.

WR has decided to run eight special trains between Churchgate and Virar on the intervening night of Sept 27 and 28.

Bus operator BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) will not run its AC buses today and will only ply 1,494 buses on diverted routes paving way for decongested roads.

PTI