Hyderabad Police have deployed around 20,000 personnel and linked nearly 10,000 CCTV cameras to the Telangana Integrated Command and Control Centre ahead of the Khairatabad Bada Ganesh idol immersion and the main procession, officials said on Friday.
Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar inspected the security arrangements at the Khairatabad Bada Ganesh idol before the final immersion. After offering prayers along with senior police officials, he said the arrangements were intended to ensure that the immersion festivities and the main procession from Balapur to Hussain Sagar proceeded peacefully.
The deployment covers bandobust duties across the city during the procession and immersion. Sajjanar said the police were coordinating with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, electricity and water works departments, and other government agencies as part of a comprehensive security plan.
The nearly 10,000 CCTV cameras installed along major procession routes have been connected to the Telangana Integrated Command and Control Centre, or TGICCC, at Banjara Hills. The system will support round-the-clock monitoring during the movement of idols and crowds, according to the commissioner.
The security arrangements also include 26 She Teams operating in three shifts at crowded locations. Sajjanar said the teams would focus on the safety of women and young women during the festival and associated public gatherings.
The procession and immersion will place additional demands on Hyderabad’s roads, public spaces and civic services as large numbers of residents gather along the routes. Coordination between the police, civic body, utilities and other departments is intended to manage security as well as the operational requirements of the event.
Sajjanar asked citizens to follow traffic advisories issued by the city traffic police and plan their travel accordingly. He also appealed to people to celebrate the immersion festival peacefully and safely. The police and participating government departments will continue their arrangements through the procession and immersion operations.
