Over 4000 personnel, including Thane police as well as paramilitary forces, will provide tight security cover on the last day of Ganeshotsav on Sunday.
According to the Thane police, 700 public mandals and 27,000 households displayed Ganapati idols this year. The police have deployed nine Deputy Commissioners of Police, 17 Assistant Commissioners of Police, 110 Police Inspectors, 257 lower rung officers like Assistant Police Inspectors and Police Sub Inspectors, 35 female officers, 3,332 constables and 700 female constables to ensure that immersion process ends peacefully.
They will be supplemented by one company of the Rapid Action Force, five companies of the State Reserve Police Force and two platoons of the Riot Control Police, officers said.
On Friday the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai police too had announced security arrangements for Ganapati immersions in their respective jurisdictions.
Thane Police spokesperson, Police Inspector Sukhada Narkar, “The Traffic Branch will also be deploying 54 officers and 550 constables to ensure smooth movement of vehicular traffic on the routes leading up to immersion points. Movement of all heavy vehicles will be banned from 2 p.m. on Sunday till after the immersion in Thane and no regular traffic will be allowed near immersion points. The Airoli toll plaza will be exempt for heavy vehicles going towards JNPT from Mulund toll plaza from 6 p.m. on Sunday to 6 a.m. on Monday.”
The police personnel have also met peace committees and Ganeshotsav mandals and discussed how to tackle noise pollution in view of the latest Bombay High Court ruling.
“We appeal to the citizens to co-operate with the police and report any suspicious activities on the police toll number. We are thankful to all stakeholders and members of the society for helping us ensure that the Moharram and Ganeshotsav bandobast passes peacefully,” Ms. Narkar said.
