Mumbai: 40k cops, 5k CCTVs to be deployed for Ganpati festival

Police have issued a general alert for Mumbai in view of the upcoming Ganpati festival and over 40,000 personnel will be deployed for security in the metropolis, an official said on Saturday.

Ganpati festival will be celebrated from Monday till Anant Chaturdashi on September 12.

An official said 7,703 public and 1.63 lakh domestic idols will be installed on Ganesh Chaturthi, along with 11,667 idols of the elephant-headed God with Gauri this year.

Personnel from the State Reserve Police Force, Riot Control Police, Quick Response Teams (QRT), BDDS squad, traffic police, Home Guards, Civil Defence and volunteers of various Ganesh mandals will be part of the security set-up, he said.

More than 5,000 CCTVs will monitor activities in the city, he said, adding that Lalbaugcha Raja mandal will have special arrangements considering the massive crowds it attracts.

"As of now there is no specific terror inputs on the wake of the festive season, but we are alert and taking all precautionary measures," the official said.

The idols will be immersed at 129 places in the city, including Girgaum, Juhu and other prominent beaches, he said.

Police will coordinate with BMC, Coast Guard, Navy, and boats will be on stand-by to tackle any untoward incident, like drowning, he added.