Hyderabad’s Ganesh immersion concluded peacefully after an estimated 38 lakh devotees visited the Khairatabad and Balapur idols, with police reporting a large-scale security and traffic operation across the city. Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar said around 30 lakh people visited the Khairatabad idol and 15 lakh visited the Balapur idol during the Vinayaka Chavithi festival.
The Hyderabad Police Commissionerate deployed 20,000 personnel, supported by another 8,000 personnel from other districts and departments, for security and crowd-management duties. Sajjanar said the arrangements were planned over three months and involved coordination with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency, Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited and other departments.
The immersion operation was centred on Hussainsagar, with a special focus on the procession beginning from Balapur. Since Balapur now falls within the Hyderabad Police Commissionerate limits, police said arrangements for the procession to begin early from the idol installation site became easier. The procession of the tallest Khairatabad Ganesh idol also started early, according to the commissioner.
Deputy Commissioner of Police K Shilpavalli supervised security arrangements at the Khairatabad idol, while Shamshabad DCP B Rajesh monitored arrangements at Balapur. Sajjanar said the police ensured uninterrupted darshan for devotees at both locations despite the daily increase in turnout during the festival.
The operation also created significant traffic pressure in central Hyderabad. Traffic restrictions were imposed near the Telangana Talli statue after a long queue of vehicles carrying Ganesh idols formed from Abids towards Tank Bund and NTR Marg. The restrictions drew criticism from motorists before being lifted in the afternoon after the immersion was completed.
Sajjanar described the security arrangements for the immersion as a major challenge because of the scale of public participation. He thanked residents for cooperating with the police during the operation and said the planning process had produced a positive result.
After the immersion concluded, police personnel marked the end of the operation near the Telangana Talli statue. The Hyderabad Police Commissionerate said the restrictions in the area were lifted once the immersion process was completed.
