VISARJAN DAY SURVIVAL GUIDE

    It's a day no Mumbaikar can afford to ignore. Ananta Chaturdasi, the day the city's biggest Ganpati idols are immersed, is marked by huge celebrations and enormous traffic jams. 

    The police and BEST have made special arrangements for today, while various volunteer groups have offered their services to keep Mumbai afloat amid the immersions.
    The traffic police have urged Mumbaikars to avoid unnecessary travel to avoid the huge traffic snarls expected on visarjan day. 
    "Our officers will be on the roads from 8am. We appeal to citizens to avoid stepping out unless absolutely necessary. If you do have to travel,www.trafficpolicemumbai.org has all the information you might need," said Vivek Phansalkar, joint commissioner of police (traffic). He added that around 3,000 traffic police will be on the roads to guide people. There have been several meetings to ensure co-ordination between the Ganpati pandals, the police and agencies such as the BMC and MMRDA. 
    "At almost all important roads and junctions, watchtowers will relay messages to the public. We expect every Mumbaikar to behave responsibly," said Phansalkar. SPIRIT OF MUMBAI 
LIFEGUARD GROUPS TO PROVIDE VOLUNTEERS 
For the sixth consecutive year, the Girgaum Chowpatty Lifeguard Association will provide free lifeguards at Girgaum chowpatty on the final day of visarjan. A total of 20 lifeguards and 80 volunteers, who have been trained in first aid, will be present. 
    N M Khan, secretary of the Girgaum Chowpatty Lifeguard association, said, "Every year the beach gets extremely crowded. Sometimes, people caught up in the excitement enter the sea even if they do not know how to swim. We have been providing volunteer lifeguards for many years. There are similiar associations doing this in other parts of the city as well." 
STUDENTS TO CLEAN BEACHES AFTER VISARJAN 
School and college students across the city have already started cleaning littered, post-visarjan beaches with the help of BMC officials. Many of them have committed to take on the mamoth task of cleaning the beaches after the final day of visarjan as well. At 8am on Sunday, over 60 students from Stds IX to XII of Oberoi International School, Goregaon, will gather at and clean up Aksa and Marve beaches. Another team, of about 80 students from Sanskar India Foundation (SIF), will do the same at Girgaum Chowpatty. 
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT 
Advice from Mumbaikars who have been out on the roads on visarjan days in the past 
If you plan to go anywhere today, it is best to avoid traveling by road. Taking the trains is the best option. Also, instead of hunting for a taxi or auto for short distances it's best to take a bus or walk to your destination. 
    - Madhura Lingayat, 25, 
    editor/photographer 
If you're going to travel today, travel light. Carry a bottle of water and some biscuits in case you get stuck somewhere for a long time. 
    - Amit Suvarna, 30, 
    marketing manager 
If you plan on watching the visarjans, go in a small group to reduce the chances of someone getting lost. Decide on a meeting point and time in case someone does get seperated from the group. Be careful with your belongings, especially wallets and phones. Women need to be extra careful. 
    - Dania Kabir, 22, 
    client servicing and marketing 
VIEWING GALLERIES 
Chinchpokli bridge: Lalbaugcha Raja, Ganesh gully, Chinchpoklicha Chintamani, Tejukaya Mansion Ganpati, Rangari Badak Chawl Ganpati, Kalachowki Ganesh Mandal, Laxmiwadi Ganpati Saat rasta: Delisle Road Ganpati, Nare Park Ganpati, Lakshmi Cottage Ganpati (Parel), Krishna Nagar Ganpati (Parel), Lal Maidan Ganpati (Parel), R K Studio Ganpati (Chembur), Dukes Ganpati (Chembur). Opera House junction:Lalbaugcha Raja, Khetwadi Ganpati, Khotchawadi Ganpati, Girgaoncha Raja, Keshavji Naik Ganpati (the oldest ganpati mandal in Mumbai) 
Juhu chowpatty, Girgaum chowpatty: 
Two of the biggest tourist attractions on visarjan day, these beach attracts thousands seeking a glimpse of the actual immersions. Lalbaugcha Raja is immersed at Girgaum. 
MEDICAL EMERGENCIES Casualty wards 
KEM hospital: 24136051 Nair hospital: 23081490 Sion hospital: 24076381 Baghwati hospital: 28932461/2, 328932463 
Ambulances 
Accident cases only: 102 Mumbai Heart Brigade, BMC: 23079643, 105 
ONLINE RESOURCES 
Route maps and closed routes trafficpolicemumbai.org Live traffic updateswww.traffline.com/?City=Mumbai INNUMBERS 99 VISARJAN POINTS 4200SARVAJANIK GANPATI IDOLS TO BE IMMERSED 37 ROADS WILL BE ONE WAY 61 ROADS WILL HAVE HEAVY VEHICLES BANNED

LALBAUGCHA RAJA ROUTE 
The procession starts at 10 am from Lalbaug market and takes the following route: Lalbaug, Bharat Mata Theatre, Lalbaug, Sane Guruji Marg, Byculla Railway Station, Clare Road, Nagpada, Dunkan Road, Don Taki, Sant Sena Maharaj Marg (Kumbharwada), Suthar Gully, Madhav Baug, C.P. Tank, V.P. Road, Opera House, Girgaum Chowpatty