Various civic departments in the city have geared up for the smooth conduct of Ganesh idol immersion on Wednesday.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS &SB), AP Central Power Distribution Corporation Limited (APCPDCL), South Central Railway (SCR) and APSRTC have made necessary arrangements in this regard.
Ganesh idols will be immersed in Hussainsagar lake, Saroornagar and Safilguda tanks, Kukatpally Cheruvu, Durgam Cheruvu and in the surrounding small lakes and ponds in Greater Hyderabad limits.
Municipal commissioner MT Krishna Babu, along with additional commissioner of police (traffic) Amit Garg, inspected the arrangements made around the Hussainsagar. The GHMC has set up 33 platforms around the lake to place cranes. In all, 71 cranes, supplied by the irrigation department, will be used for immersion of idols at 21 immersion points across the city. Besides, 59 mobile cranes will also be used for the purpose. Garg said a bigger crane would be positioned opposite Marriott Hotel (formerly Viceroy) for immersion of idols coming from the Secunderabad area.
The GHMC will deploy 2,300 workers for round-the-clock sanitation work and 25 additional vehicles for garbage removal. This year, garbage-lifting will be completed by 9 am on September 19, Krishna Babu said.
As many as 85 swimmers and divers, with life-saving jackets, will stand by on NTR Marg and Tank Bund Road to save people from accidental drowning.
Two front-end loading vehicles and four 10-tonne vehicles are in place at NTR Marg and Tank Bund. Front-end loaders, bob cat, 10-tonne and 6-tonne vehicles will be deployed on road from MJ Market to Liberty Centre, Karbala Madian, MG Road and RP Road, Afzalgunj to MJ Market, and Charminar to Afzalgunj. Two health camps will be conducted at NTR Marg and Tank Bund by the DM&HO on Wednesday.
Barricades have been erected at Lower Tank Bund towards Katta Maisamma temple staircase, at the staircase under the flyover and near the Errapragada statue and staircase, Sulabh complex near Bademiya Kabab. The GHMC is spending Rs 81.58 lakh on 27 patch works.
Steps have been taken for the removal of debris, building materials before the procession to ensure that the routes are clear for the free movement of idols. In case of inundation and stagnation of water on roads, emergency teams will be deployed to clear the water and debris.
GHMC has installed 15,450 temporary lights worth Rs 45.25 lakh and are providing illumination at procession routes in the entire GHMC area.
The water board will supply 14 lakh free water sachets to devotees through 101 camps all over the city. Besides, over 100 water tankers will be pressed into service to provide water on the procession routes. Five camps have been established on the Tank Bund Road and two on the NTR Marg.
The APCPDCL has made necessary arrangements at the immersion points for providing uninterrupted power supply. Mobile distribution transformers in and around Tank Bund and on procession routes have been arranged to ensure the unhindered transportation of the idols.
Power supply is being monitored round-the-clock from camp offices at NTR Marg and Tank Bund. An electricity control room has been opened near the Hussainsagar.
SCR will run eight special MMTS trains between various destinations in Hyderabad/Secunderabad on the intervening night of September 18 and 19. APSRTC also will run special services on Wednesday.