On immersion day, cops to keep two ambulances on Laxmi Road for patients

Commissioner of police announces awards for Ganesh mandals taking out procession between 12 pm and 5 pm

This time the city police will ensure patients on way to hospitals during the immersion procession reach their destination on time. The traffic division of the city police has announced that two ambulances would be kept ready on both sides of Laxmi Road for this purpose. Two years ago, a person who had suffered from cardiac arrest had died on his way to hospital owing to road blockage on the immersion procession route. The police are keen that such incidents are not repeated.

This year, the police have announced eight routes for the immersion procession, including Laxmi Road, Tilak Road, Kumthekar road, Karve Road, Cantonment and Khadaki Bazar, and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Every year, maximum barricading occurs around Laxmi Road and so commuting patients on this route is difficult.

"A traffic constable will be deployed in the ambulances and he will ensure the speedy transport of patients to the desired hospital," said DCP Vishwas Pandhare. He said maximum care would be taken to avoid inconvenience to people and routes would be diverted only in case of crowding. "Besides this, to avoid vehicular congestion, 19 schools and educational institutes have shown readiness to open their parking lots to enthusiasts," Pandhare said.u00a0

In an effort to cut the duration of immersion procession, which normally stretches beyond 30 hours, the Commissioner of Police (CP) Meeran Chaddha Borwankar has announced a special award for Ganesh mandals taking out the procession between 12 pm to 5 pm. Most of Ganesh mandals invest heavily in lighting decorations and so ensure their procession hits Laxmi Road after sunset. To avoid this mentality, CP has announced this initiative.

"Trophy, certificate and award money will be given to those mandals, who are ready to take out the procession in the afternoon immediately after Important Four or Manache Ganapati hit Laxmi Road," said Borwankar.u00a0Anna Thorat, president of Akhil Mandai Mandal, said: "Last year, we joined the procession at 7 pm, but as administration finds it difficult to clear the road the procession gets delayed."

Ashok Godse, president of Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Mandal Trust, said: "Our mandal has a tradition of 119 years and our Ganapati joins the procession after Bhau Rangai and Akhil Mandai Mandal. Every year we try to avoid delay, but the administration finds it difficult to make a way for our chariot. If they can direct the other mandals quickly, we can join the procession early. We are also of the opinion that the procession should be completed early to avoid unnecessary burden on the administration and the police."