With Ganesh Chaturti being celebrated on Monday, Ganesh pandals are getting ready even as the markets across the city were choked as festival shoppers made a beeline to make last-minute purchases.
Sunday saw more people thronging the markets as Saturday night’s spell of rainfall had forced many indoors. Shoppers used the bright sunny morning and afternoon on Sunday to purchase Ganesh idols, banana leaves and stems, mango leaves, and other festival-related paraphernalia.
In some localities, business opened as early as 7 a.m., as the overnight spell of rainfall had spoiled the shopping plans of those performing Gowri puja on Sunday.
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Security stepped-up
Meanwhile, the City police have heightened security in and around the city on the eve of Ganesh Chaturti, from Sunday. Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar said 9,000 policemen along with 1,000 Home Guards and 62 platoons of State Reserve and City Armed Reserve Forces have been deployed near lakes, including Ulsoor, Sankey tank, Yadiyur and Hebbal, which have been designated for idol immersion, to monitor law and order situation during the Ganesh immersion.
Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras have been installed in and around the lakes to monitor untoward incidents, Mr. Auradkar said, adding that such cameras have also been installed at strategic locations in and around the sensitive areas of the city.
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