HYDERABAD: The immersion procession of 69-foot Khairatabad Bada Ganesh began around 9.30 am on Friday, nearly three-and-a-half hours after its scheduled start, following a technical problem with the crane used to shift the idol onto the Tuskar vehicle.
The towering idol is being taken towards Hussain Sagar amid a heavy turnout of devotees.
The procession is passing through Rajdoot Crossroads, Telephone Bhavan, Iqbal Minar, Telangana Talli Crossroads and NTR Marg before reaching the immersion point.
The immersion is expected to be completed around 2 pm, with the idol being immersed at Crane No. 4.
At Tank Bund and along the Hussain Sagar waterfront, large crowds of devotees have gathered to witness the immersion procession. Barricades have been erected and multiple cranes deployed along the immersion stretches to facilitate the immersion of thousands of idols arriving from different parts of the city.
Authorities have strengthened arrangements at Hussain Sagar, including additional cranes, immersion platforms and sanitation teams, to manage the large crowds and ensure the process is completed without delays. Rescue teams, swimmers and boats have also been kept on standby as a precaution.
Police have maintained a tight security cordon around Tank Bund and the major procession routes. Over 20,000 police personnel have been deployed across Hyderabad and its outskirts for the immersion festivities.
Around 1,000 personnel have been deployed specifically in the Hussain Sagar and Tank Bund areas, where large crowds are expected. Traffic restrictions have been imposed on several key roads along the procession route, including NTR Marg, PVNR Marg, Tank Bund and the Khairatabad flyover. Motorists have been advised to avoid these stretches during the immersion.