Mumbai police issue traffic guidelines for Ganesh festival

Mumbai: Police on Monday said traffic restrictions will be in place in different parts of Mumbai during Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations starting from September 19, but there will be no curbs on vehicles supplying essential commodities.

Idol immersion processions, which take place on different days of the festival starting from the second day, attract massive crowds of devotees as people from all over the city and also outside come to witness the grand event, leading to a surge in pedestrian and vehicular traffic, which may be aggravated by plying of heavy vehicles and private buses, a traffic department official said.

Therefore, some traffic arrangements have been made for heavy vehicles and private buses from September 19 to 29, he said.

There shall be complete restriction on movement of all types of heavy vehicles and private buses in south Mumbai on September 21, 24, 26 and 29, said the official.

On other days between September 19 and 29, heavy vehicles are allowed to ply in south Mumbai between 00:00 hours and 07:00 hours, he said.

In Greater Mumbai (except for areas under south Mumbai), there shall be complete restriction on movement of heavy vehicles and private buses from 1100 hours to 0100 hours the next day on September 20, 23 and 25, said the official.

Further, there will be restrictions on movement of these vehicles on September 28 from 10:00 hours to 06:00 hours the next day.

However, essential service providing vehicles such as those supplying vegetables, milk, bakery products, drinking water, petroleum products, ambulances, government and semi-government vehicles and school buses are exempted from restrictions, said the official.

All private buses entering and leaving Mumbai and heavy vehicles, including the ones exempted from curbs, shall only be parked at their privately owned spaces or rented spaces or on authorized pay lots, he said.

Parking of these vehicles on roads shall be totally prohibited, the official added.