Mumbai Ganesh Visarjan 2026: 24,000 cops, 25,000 BMC staff deployed for Anant Chaturdashi

More than 24000 police personnel will be deployed across Mumbai on Friday to maintain law and order during Ganesh idol immersion processions on Anant Chaturdashi while the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC has deployed more than 25000 officials and employees for the final day of the 12day festivalHundreds of Ganesh idols will be immersed across the city after processions on Friday marking the culmination of the festival that began on September 14 The police and civic authorities have made arrangements at natural and artificial immersion sites while traffic restrictions have been introduced on several major roadsOver 24000 police personnel deployed across MumbaiThe Mumbai Police said a large security deployment would remain in place throughout the city during the immersion processionsThe deployment includes six Joint Commissioners of Police nine Additional Commissioners of Police 38 Deputy Commissioners of Police and 66 Assistant Commissioners of Police along with other personnelSpecialised units including the Rapid Action Force State Reserve Police Force Force One Quick Response Teams Law and Order platoons Riot Control Squads Delta and Combat units and AntiDrone squads will also be deployed at key and sensitive locationsPolice have appealed to citizens to remain cautious in crowded areas and cooperate with personnel deployed for security and crowd managementDevotees have also been asked to immediately inform the police if they notice unclaimed or suspicious objects Emergency assistance can be sought by calling 100 or 112 officials saidTraffic restrictions imposed on JVLR LalbaugThe Mumbai Traffic Police has issued advisories and introduced restrictions on several major corridors to manage vehicle movement during the immersion processionsIn the Sakinaka Traffic Division noparking restrictions have been imposed for all types of vehicles on both the northbound and southbound carriageways of the JogeshwariVikhroli Link Road JVLR between the LampT Flyover and IIT Market GateThe Ghatkopar Traffic Division has also restricted the entry of heavy vehicles on both carriageways of the JVLRHeavy vehicles approaching the JVLR from the Eastern Express Highway will be required to remain on the highway Vehicles travelling from the Western Express Highway towards the JVLR will also be diverted to continue along the highwayIn central Mumbai where large crowds are expected around Lalbaug and Kalachowki roundtheclock parking restrictions have been imposed on key arterial roadsThese include Dr B A Road in the southbound direction between Comrade Krishna Desai Chowk also known as Bharat Mata Junction and Hansraj Rathod Chowk Bawla Compound JunctionThe restrictions also apply to the northbound stretch of Dr B A Road between Hansraj Rathod Chowk and Comrade Krishna Desai ChowkBMC deploys 25000 staff for immersion arrangementsThe BMC said more than 25000 civic officials and employees would be deployed to manage immersionrelated arrangements and ensure the process is conducted safelyThe civic body has deployed 1132 lifeguards and installed 6052 floodlights and searchlights at immersion sitesIt has also kept 85 ambulances and 10 motorboats ready at various locations to respond to emergenciesFor crowd management and coordination the BMC has established 261 reception centres 228 control rooms and 75 observation towers A total of 489 temporary toilets and other basic facilities have also been arranged for devoteesArtificial lakes arranged for smaller idolsThe BMC has urged devotees to follow instructions issued by civic and police authorities while participating in immersion activitiesThe civic body has particularly cautioned citizens entering the sea to immerse idols citing the presence of bluebutton jellyfish and stingrays along Mumbairsquos coastlineAccording to the BMC 163386 Ganapati idols had already been immersed during the 15day fiveday sixday and sevenday periods of the 12day festivalCiting directions issued by the Bombay High Court the civic body said Ganesh idols up to six feet in height are required to be immersed in artificial lakesThe BMC has made arrangements for such immersions and appealed to citizens to use designated artificial lakes rather than immersing idols in unauthorised locationsFree immersion facilities available across cityOfficials said free immersion facilities have been arranged at 387 artificial lakes and 67 natural immersion sites across MumbaiThe civic body has asked citizens not to pay anyone for using the designated immersion facilitiesWith inputs from PTI