HYDERABAD: On Friday, a massive Ganesh procession was underway in Hyderabad amidst strict security measures.  To Hussain Sagar Lake in the centre of the city and dozens of other lakes in and around the city, hundreds of idols were carried out in processions.

The main procession began from Balapur on the southern fringes of the city. It will cover a distance of over 20 kilometer passing through the old city and other parts of the city to reach Hussain Sagar, where officials have made massive arrangements for immersion. The main procession, which is expected to draw the largest crowd for immersion since Mumbai, will be joined by a number of tributary processions.

Police have beefed up security precautions due to the day falling on Friday prayers, particularly in the historically sensitive old city. As the main procession moved through the region, police officers and members of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) were stationed close to the famed Mecca Masjid and Charminar.

Muslim clerics have urged followers to offer Friday prayers in the mosques closest to their residences rather than travelling to Mecca Masjid or other mosques.

Tight security arrangements have also been made in the light of the recent disturbances seen over an offensive video posted by BJP MLA Raja Singh. In the confines of three police commissionerates, Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda, up to 35,000 officers have been deployed.

According to Hyderabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand, people have been recruited from several districts in addition to the city police. He along with other top officials was closely monitoring the movement of the main procession and the tributary processions from the integrated police command and control centre through the exhaustive network of CCTV cameras.

Mahendra Reddy, the director general of police, was also keeping an eye on the march in Hyderabad and other regions of the state from the state police headquarters. Ten lakh CCTV cameras are used for surveillance throughout the state.

739 cameras have been placed along Hyderabad's main procession route in addition to the CCTV network. The extensive surveillance system includes two mobile command control centres, four camera-mounted vehicles, and ten drones. SHE Teams, dog squads, anti-chain snatching teams, and many Quick Response Teams have also been sent out.

Over 40,000 idols will be submerged in Hussain Sagar and more than 50 other lakes and man-made ponds in and around the city, thanks to the meticulous preparations undertaken by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). 

Up to 9,523 over three feet tall idols, according to officials, will be submerged on Friday. The procedure can resume the following day.The 50-foot-tall Khairatabad Ganesh, the city's tallest idol, was also making its way to Hussain Sagar lake. This year's idol, which is made of clay, will be transported and submerged according to particular procedures made by the authorities.

The massive procession has stopped traffic in the entire city. The police have restricted traffic. Within the boundaries of all three police commissionerates, bars and liquor stores will continue to be shuttered. Due to the controversy surrounding the immersion of idols in the Hussain Sagar lake and court rulings against it, additional security measures have also been implemented. 

According to the High Court's directives, the Telangana government has made it clear that only clay idols may be submerged in Hussain Sagar. It said there are 74 young ponds and 31 lakes throughout the city where POP idols can be submerged.

For immersion, the GHMC has sent out 130 mobile cranes and 280 stationary cranes. The immersion procedure will be assisted by more than 10,000 sanitation employees.  In its ruling dated July 21, the High Court upheld the ban on POP idol immersion in Hussain Sagar beginning this season. 

Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi (BGUS) organised rallies over the past few days to call on the authorities to permit idol immersion without limits. The state government has announced a holiday for all public schools and educational institutions in the three districts of Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, and Medchal Malkajgiri due to the immersion procession.

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