Ganesh Chaturthi: How is Mumbai gearing up for 10-day-long festivities?
Control rooms, watch towers, and strict parking guidelines are just some measures taken by the Mumbai administration as Ganesh Chaturthi festivities kicked off this year. The city's traffic police have imposed traffic and parking restrictions, shut roads, and set up control rooms to ensure the safety of Mumbaikars in the 10-day-long celebration of Ganeshotsav. Officials have also requested citizens to follow traffic rules.
74 routes shut for traffic, 114 parking spots closed
Strict traffic rules were put in place on Thursday morning, and the Mumbai Police have shut about 74 roads in the financial capital. About 54 roads will only have one-way vehicular movement, and heavy goods vehicles have been banned on 57 roads. According to media reports, the police have imposed severe parking restrictions in 114 spots for Ganesh Chaturthi festivities.
Five traffic control rooms set up
The department has also set up five traffic control rooms for the 10-day festival. These include key immersion spots such as Shivaji Park, Girgaon, Juhu, Powai's Ganesh Ghat, and the Malad-Malwani T Junction. The police department and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have set up cranes at important locations to cater to vehicles that break down and cause traffic disruptions.
Watch: Huge gathering at Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja
Final immersion on September 9
Since citizens carry out immersions of Ganesh idols on different days, immersion, this year, will take place on September 1, 4, 6, and 9. The household Ganesh idols are usually immersed five days after Ganesh Chaturthi. Big idols are taken out in processions and immersed on Anant Chaturdashi, which is the last day of the festival and will fall on September 9.
Parking facilities near Ganpati pandals
Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Mumbai
One of the biggest festivals in Mumbai, Ganesh Chaturthi processions witnessed large crowds this year as well. This is the first Ganeshotsav celebration after the COVID-19 pandemic with next to no health restrictions, and is hence being celebrated on a big scale. The BMC has put 188 control rooms in place throughout 24 civic wards to ensure smooth celebrations.
