Tamil Nadu police have permitted the installation of 36,000 Vinayagar idols in public places across the state for Vinayagar Chaturthi, including 1,562 idols within the Chennai police limits, according to a report by Dinamalar. The permissions cover public worship, processions and immersion in water bodies, subject to conditions issued by the authorities.
The approvals were granted after organisers and members of Hindu organisations sought permission from the police to install idols, conduct worship and take them in processions for immersion. The permissions incorporate directions from the Madras High Court, guidance from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, no-objection certificates from fire and local-body authorities, and restrictions announced by the police.
In Chennai, 16,500 police personnel and 500 Home Guards will be deployed for security arrangements related to the approved installations and processions. Organisers have also been instructed to install closed-circuit television cameras at idol locations and appoint volunteers to assist with security.
The police have permitted processions on September 19 and 20, using only the routes approved by the authorities. Organisers must take the idols to designated water bodies for immersion and comply with the conditions attached to their permissions. The arrangements place local administration, fire services, pollution-control authorities and the police within a common approval framework for a festival that involves temporary public installations, large gatherings and movement through city roads.
The restrictions also prohibit the installation of idols at locations that have not received permission. Police have warned that action will be taken against organisers who violate the conditions or attempt to disrupt public order. The enforcement measures apply alongside the requirements concerning safety clearances, environmental guidance and local-body approvals.
The scale of the permissions makes the festival a major short-term exercise in urban coordination, particularly in Chennai, where more than 1,500 approved installations will require monitoring before the processions and immersion dates. The next official milestones are the conduct of processions on September 19 and 20 and the completion of immersion in accordance with the approved routes, conditions and designated water bodies.
