Traffic re-routed, parking banned at 174 places

Elaborate arrangements have been made at the immersion points near Sangam bridge, Amruteshwar temple, Vaikunth crematorium, Ashtabhuja temple, Garware college, Omkareshwar temple, Mahatma Gandhi Garden, Parnakuti in Yerawada, Apsara Cinema Hall, Dengale Bridge, Katraj Lake, Holkar Bridge, Wanowrie, Harris Bridge and all causeways to ensure the safety of the devotees immersing the idols.

Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road, Tilak Road, Kelkar Road, Shivaji Road, Bajirao Road, Karve Road, Fergusson College Road, Jangali Maharaj Road, Bhandarkar Road, the road linking the Sonya Maruti Chowk with the Fadke Haud Chowk and the one linking Daruwala Pul with Jijamata Chowk will be closed for traffic till processions end. Parking will be banned at 174 places located in the heart of the city.

Parking will be allowed near Garware College Ground on Karve Road, the ground near the Sarasvati Mandir School on Bajirao Road, Congress House, the vacant place near Patil Plaza near Mitra Mandal and the Oswal Bandhu Samaj Mangal Karyalaya near Hotel Seven Loves.

The police will set up aid centres at Mahatma Phule Market, Belbaug Chowk, Commonwealth building on Laxmi Road, Vijay Cinema Hall, Alka Chowk, Khandojibaba Chowk and S P College chowk. A total of 18 reception centres will be set up along the route of the main procession.

Eight deputy commissioners, 22 assistant commissioners, 53 inspectors, 214 sub-inspectors and 2,795 policemen will be deployed. They will be helped by two companies of the State Reserve Police Force, eight platoons of Rapid Action Force and 575 home guards. Special squads will be formed to curb chain-snatching and eve-teasing. Besides, a deputy commissioner, two assistant commissioners, two inspectors, 34 sub-inspectors and 460 constables will be deployed to ensure smooth flow of traffic in other parts of the city. The traffic police will be helped by 32 traffic wardens, 52 civil defence force volunteers and 300 NCC cadets.

The police officials are also trying to convince the workers of various mandals to speed up the procession.