Surat: With nearly 90,000 small and large Ganesh idols expected to be immersed across the city during the Ganesh Visarjan procession on Friday, Surat Police have put in place an elaborate security and traffic management plan, deploying more than 11,000 personnel.In addition to the police personnel, teams from the Rapid Action Force (RAF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Border Security Force (BSF) and State Reserve Police (SRP) will be deployed across the city as Surat prepares for one of India’s largest Ganesh visarjan processions.Surat police commissioner Wabang Jamir told TOI that the immersion processions would be monitored through an extensive network of surveillance cameras, drones and personnel stationed along procession routes and at immersion points.“Immersion processions will be monitored through an extensive network of cameras and personnel deployed along the routes and at immersion points. Around 20 drones and 125 video cameras will be used for surveillance, while 600 body-worn cameras, 150 AI cameras and 3,000 CCTV cameras will keep watch over the procession routes and immersion sites. Police control rooms will monitor the feeds,” Jamir said.Police have also asked organisers of large idols to install GPS devices on vehicles carrying the idols to enable real-time tracking.Specific routes have been earmarked for the processions, with 400 deployment points identified for security personnel. Police will also man 450 terrace points to maintain surveillance over the procession routes.The security plan includes seven quick response teams (QRTs) and 10 SOG teams, besides eight high-security Vajra-Varun vehicles. Around 325 patrol vehicles and 430 police motorcycles will be deployed for patrolling, while personnel will be equipped with 1,800 shoulder lights.At immersion points, boats and divers will be deployed as part of the emergency response arrangements. Police will coordinate with the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), DGVCL, Torrent Power and GETCO to address power and infrastructure-related issues during the procession.Traffic police have also planned diversions and will close 25 major roads on visarjan day to ensure smooth movement of processions and emergency services.
