Navratri is celebrated with great fervour in Mumbai. On the nine days of the festivities, many small and big events are organised across the city. The major garba events and Durga pandals witness large crowds of devotees of Goddess Durga. To ensure that no untoward incident takes place during these festivities, the Mumbai Police implemented various safety and security measures in the city during the nine days.

Strategic planning with various stakeholders

Senior police personnel from Andheri said that the preparations for the security arrangements begin days before the festival. “Before the festival, the Mumbai Police engage in extensive planning and coordinate with event organisers and local politicians to understand the scale of gatherings and identify potential challenges. We assess the locations where large crowds are expected, such as public grounds, to determine how many cops need to be deployed there. For example, in the suburbs, we work closely with the organisers of the Lokhandwala Durga Pandal in Andheri as it not only witnesses a large footfall of common devotees but is also visited by a large number of celebrities.”