Skip immersion jams with traffic police site

    For the first time, this year motorists can avoid snarls and delays during Ganpati immersion by logging on to the traffic police's website and checking for congested roads. The website — www.trafficpolicemumbai. org—will host a route update link with a colour-coded map. Motorists can enter their point of origin and destination to find out which routes are available for traffic and what is the average speed on these roads. Alternate routes can be found out as well. 

    "As part of our preparations for Ganpati visarjan, we will be closing down 37 roads completely for vehicular traffic on Tuesday and Saturday between 12pm and 6am the next day. On these two days, 50 roads will be made one-way, parking will not be permitted on 61 roads and heavy vehicles will be banned on 13 roads," 
said joint commissioner (traffic) Vivek Phansalkar. 
    There will be CCTV surveillance at major immersion spots. "A control room was inaugurated at Girgaum Chowpatty, which will be used for bandobast coordination, CCTV operation, a lost-and-found section for kids and senior citizens, coordination with other agencies, lifeguards coordination, monitoring of reserve forces and deployment," said joint commissioner (law and order) Sadanand Date. 
    There are a total of 99 visarjan points and 4,200 sarvajanik Ganpati idols are expected to be immersed on Saturday. "Police commissioner Satyapal Singh had a meeting with Ganpati mandals in five regions before the festival began and appraised them about security. This made a lot of difference. Security audits were also carried out with prominent mandals where they were asked to deploy private security guards, instal CCTVs and have a proper access control system with metal detectors," Date added. 
    The traffic police will be coordinating with other agencies such as BMC, MMRDA and Ganpati mandals. "Apart from BMC lifeguards who will be posted at 88 spots, the traffic department will be arranging for 400 additional lifeguards. Around 8,500 volunteers are being roped in, including 4,500 from Aniruddha Bapu's academy of disaster management, 1,000 each from NSS and NCC and 35 Ham radio operators," Phansalkar said. "Thirty-seven watch towers have been erected for making announcements. Drums and ropes will be used to segregate both carriageways. Local police personnel have been provided with binoculars and walkie talkies." TRAVEL GUIDE FOR THE BIG DAY 
Roads closed | 37 One-way | 50 No-parking | 61 Heavy vehicles banned | 13 (The above will come into effect on Tuesday and Saturday from 12pm to 6am) 
DEPLOYMENT Police constables | 21,500 Police officers | 1,500 Traffic police personnel | 2,500 Rapid Action Force | 2 companies Border Security Force | 1 company 
State Reserve Police Force | 4 companies Navy and coast guard will be on alert 
Volunteers from Aniruddha Bapu Academy of Disaster Management | 4,500 NSS | 1,000 NCC | 1,000 Ham radio operators | 35 Total volunteers | 8,000 to 8,500 
SECURITY 
Watch towers 37 BMC lifeguards 88 Other lifeguards arranged by traffic department 400 
IMPORTANT ROADS CLOSED 
    Jagannath Shankar Sheth Marg (Girgaum Road) Thakurdwar Marg Sandhurst Road Nathalal Parekh Marg Pandita Ramabai Marg Dr B A Road Dr E Borges Road Sane Guruji Marg Shivaji Park Road nos 3 and 4 Keluskar Marg (North and South) N C Kelkar Marg Tilak Bridge L B S Marg at Kurla West and Mulund West Ghatkopar Link Road Adi Shankaracharya Marg at Powai Aarey Colony Road and M G Road in Kandivli West

DIVINE POWER: The Ganpati idol of Moti Baug Sarvajanik Ganesh Mandal, Khetwadi