Ganesh Chaturthi: Mumbai Police to deploy more than 17,600 officers over 10 days

A separate police team has been stationed at Lalbaughcha Raja Ganpati Mandal—the biggest in Mumbai—and Girgaon Chowpatty for Ganesh Visarjan on 6 September.

More than 17,600 police personnel will man the streets of Mumbai to prevent any incidents during the ten-day Ganesh festival that begins on Wednesday, the Press Trust of India quoted an official as saying.

The Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh pandal in Mumbai. (HT photo)

At least 15,000 police constables, 2,600 sub-inspectors and inspectors, 51 assistant commissioners of police and 36 deputy commissioners of police will be deployed across the city during the festival, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Satya Narayan said.

Twelve companies of the State Reserve Police Force will be deployed in the city along with Quick Response Teams, Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad, and dog squads. A horse-mounted police unit, drones are also part of the deployment. More than 11,000 CCTVs have been installed.

A separate police team will be in place for Lalbaughcha Raja Ganpati Mandal—the biggest and most revered in Mumbai.

“We have taken all the security-related measures for the Ganesh festival, and are also taking precautions for crowd control,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Satya Narayan said.

This day, the 10-day Ganesh festival begins with Ganesh Chaturthi—or ‘Vinayak Chaturthi’—on Wednesday, 27 September, and ends after 10 days with immersion of idols on ‘Anant Chaturdashi’, or ‘Ganesh Visarjan’, on 6 September.

There will be adequate police deployment at immersion sites and beaches, with special security arrangements at Girgaon Chowpatty in South Mumbai, Narayan said. Apart from watchtowers and public announcement systems, beat marshals and plainclothes personnel will be deployed to prevent untoward incidents.