Massive annual Ganesh procession in Hyderabad has so far passed off peacefully and without much dislocation despite intermittent heavy rain. With more than 20,000 policemen deployed all along the route from Balapur in old city to Hussain Sagar lake in the middle of the city, as well as all other sensitive areas, the situation was firmly under control.
To keep a close watch on the progress of the procession, with huge idols on big trucks on different routes, the police had installed 800 CCTV cameras at vantage points and officials monitored the situation at a specially set up control room at Basheer Bagh.
In a late evening development, heavy rain over Hyderabad badly disrupted the Ganesh procession. As it rained cat and dogs all over the city, the route of the procession was submerged under more than a feet of water slowing down the movement of the vehicles and causing tremendous difficulties to the participants.
The onlookers who had gathered at Hussain Sagar lake to watch the immersion had to walk for long distances to reach home. The vehicles other than the trucks carrying the idols were not plying on the procession route and adjoining roads. The traffic on the other roads had also come to a standstill due to waterlogging at important cross roads. Met department has said that it was the heaviest rainfall in the city during this season.
City Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma, who was at Charminar to monitor the progress of the procession in old city, said that the situation was completely normal and under control. The police officials succeeded in persuading the organisers of the main Balapur Ganesh Mandap to start their procession early in the morning facilitating the progress of other idols.
According to the officials, more than 60,000 idols were installed in Hyderabad and surrounding areas and arrangements were made at 21 water bodies, lakes and tanks for immersion. However, the main focus was the historic Hussain Sagar lake.
Organisers had set up welcome platforms at different places on which the leaders of the BJP, VHP and other similar organisations waved at the participants and threw flowers on them.
As the procession and immersion was likely to continue till the wee hours of Thursday, 1,540 special lights were also put up along the route to keep it illuminated throughout the night.
Police officials said that as often trouble broke out during the return journey of the processionists, they will maintain the vigil throughout the night. The security was specially tightened in view of the recent communal riots in Muzaffarnagar and warning of the Central government that similar trouble can break out in various other States. At Hussain Sagar lake where thousands of devotees had gathered throughout the day, 65 big cranes were installed to help in faster immersion.