CHENNAI: The city police have made elaborate arrangements for Vinayagar idol immersion on Thursday.
A special pedestal and a ramp have been fixed at the sea shore at Srinivasapuram near Foreshore Estate, to make it easier to use cranes to lift and drop the idols.
In all, 2,672 big idols had been installed for celebrating Vinayagar Chaturthi in various places in the city. The police have allocated four places for the immersion of idols - Srinivasapuram (Fore Shore Estate), Palkalai Nagar (Neelankarai), Kasimedu Fishing Harbour (Thiruvottiyur) and Ramakrishna Nagar (Ennore).
Around 880 idols were immersed by the organisers of Shiv Sena, Sundarsena and other organisations on August 27. Three days later, 135 idols were immersed by the Tamil Nadu Shiv Sena, Bharat Munnani, Hindu Marumalarchi Munnetra Munnani, Bharata Mata Shri Vinayagar Chathurthi Festival organisers on August 30. And 1,662 idols are expected to be immersed by Hindu Makkal Katchi and Hindu Munnani on August 31. At least 200 idols from Pallavaram and Tambaram areas installed by Hindu Munnani workers in Kancheepuram districts will be immersed in the sea on September 3.
The city police have diverted traffic to facilitate the procession. As more number of idols are expected to be immersed at Srinivasapuram and Foreshore Estate beaches, the roads from Labour Statue to Greenways Point, loop road near Santhome, South Canal Bank Road and Kutchery Road will have huge traffic.
Traffic is expected to pile up on EVR Salai, Harrington Road, 100 Feet Road, Arcot Road, Valluvar Kottam High Road, Nungambakkam High Road, Kodambakkam High Road and Nelson Manikkam Road, Anna Rotary, Cathedral Road, Dr Radha Krishnan Salai, Kamarajar Salai, Santhome High road, DGS Dinakaran Salai, between 2pm and 8pm. Motorists have been cautioned about the traffic.
Vehicles coming from Wallajah Road, Bharati Salai, Besant Road, RK Salai, Kutchery Road and South Canal Bank road towards Kamarajar Salai and Santhome High Road will have to make their way through heavy traffic. Vehicles from Adyar intend to go to Parrys will be diverted at Greenways Point to take the route via RK Mutt Road – Mandaveli Junction – Luz – Royapettah High Road, GRH point , Whites Road, Anna Salai to reach their destination.