Water facilities on procession routes, cranes, ambulances, new bus routes and more - the administration is gearing up for the upcoming Ganesh festival.
On the directions of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who is in Delhi now, a high-level meeting was held today at Secretariat to review the arrangements for the forthcoming Ganesh festival in Hyderabad.
In the morning, the Chief Minister telephonically reviewed the arrangements with the Chief Secretary. It was agreed in the meeting that the festival should be conducted peacefully "as usual", with the coordination of all departments concerned and the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Committee.
Minister Dr. Geetha Reddy assured cooperation from the government's side, and said that all arrangements would be made for the smooth conduct of the festival. She said that any problem or genuine demand could be brought to the notice of the authorities and would be immediately solved. She sought the cooperation of all concerned in this regard.
Bhagwantha Rao, Bandaru Dattatreya and other members of the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi discussed the various issues. Among their concerns and needs were additional cranes and drinking water, and the repair of roads.
The Chief Secretary agreed to take notice of all their demands and solve them at the earliest. He explained that certain arrangements have already been made - like additional cranes, steps for the barricading of the Ganesh procession route, approach roads at various immersion points, platforms, the clearing of stones and debris on the streets, and the illumination of streets on the procession routes.
He said that measures have been taken to provide boats and deploy swimmers (divers) on the day of the immersion. Also, he said that ambulances are being arranged and steps being taken to provide first-aid with para-medical staff at pandals on the main routes of the processions.
The Chief Secretary said that the required number of fire tenders and rescue ladders would be made available. Supply of uninterrupted power at various immersion points, and facilities for drinking water on the procession route are also being taken up, he said.
He said that adequate lorries would be made available to organisers. Plus, buses will be diverted from the procession routes, and enough city services will be provided to all other places till midnight on the immersion day, he said.
The GHMC Commissioner said that Rs. 17 crore has been sanctioned for road repairs. He said that more than 50% of the works have been done, and that the rest of the works are being done on a war footing. Works regarding sanitation and debris clearance would also be taken up, he said.
Officials said that steps are also being taken to provide accommodation to forces deployed from other places, as well as for arrangements for public address system at various places.
"Measures are taken to open a Joint Control Room for the use of Officers of the departments at Sardar Mahal at Old City, and the running of MMTS trains on the day of immersion throughout the night. Army assistance would be sought to keep sufficient troops in their own units to move out in case of emergencies, to assist civil authorities," he said.
He said that earthen idols with natural colours will be sold at different counters.
The Chief Secretary said he would hold separate meetings on important issues with the officials concerned, and issue directions from time to time.
Minister for Major Industries Dr. Geetha Reddy, Minister for Marketing Mukesh Goud, Minister for Labour Nagender, Chief Secretary Dr. P K Mohanty, DGP Dinesh Reddy, office-bearers of the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Committee, Police Commissioners of Hyderabad and Cyberabad, the GHMC Commissioner, the I&PR Director, senior police officials, secretaries of various departments and heads of departments attended the meeting. (INN)