Hyderabad Braces for Ganesh Immersion Finale as Processions Take Over Roads

Hyderabad will witness the final day of Ganesh idol immersion on Friday, with a large procession winding its way from Balapur through the Old City and central Hyderabad before reaching the immersion points at Tank Bund.

The main route passes through Keshavagiri, Chandrayangutta, Falaknuma, Aliabad, Nagulchinta, Charminar, Madina, Afzalgunj, M.J. Market, Abids, Basheerbagh and Liberty before arriving at NTR Marg and PVNR Marg. Processions from Secunderabad, Uppal, Dilsukhnagar, Tarnaka, Tolichowki, Mehdipatnam, Erragadda, Tappachabutra, Asifnagar, Kulsumpura, Jiyaguda, Attapur, Aramghar, Kamatipura and Bahadurpura will either join the main route or move along designated corridors to the immersion areas.

For commuters, much of central Hyderabad will be occupied by the procession through Friday and into Saturday morning. No vehicles other than those carrying Ganesh idols will be allowed on the main route from 6 a.m. on Friday until 10 a.m. on Saturday. Restrictions on NTR Marg, PVNR Marg, Tank Bund and Khairatabad Flyover may remain in place until Saturday evening, depending on how the immersion progresses.

Motorists have been advised to use the Inner Ring Road, the Masab Tank-Punjagutta-Begumpet-Secunderabad corridor or the Outer Ring Road.

Authorities have identified 47 lakes and ponds across the city where idols can be immersed en route, spread over Shamshabad, Rajendranagar, Charminar, Golconda, Khairatabad and Secunderabad zones. Saroornagar lake, Jiyaguda pond, Sanjeevaiah Park baby pond and Jawahar Nagar baby pond are among the facilities near NTR Marg and People's Plaza. Thirteen parking locations have been earmarked for visitors, including NTR Stadium, Lower Tank Bund Road near Katta Maisamma temple, Martyrs Memorial parking, Vishveshwaraiah Bhavan, Institute of Engineers, MMTS Khairatabad, Public Gardens, Qilwath Ground and QQ Stadium.

Heavy commercial vehicles and trailers on inter-district and national permits will not be allowed into the city and have been diverted to the Outer Ring Road. Lorries and construction equipment vehicles are barred from entering Hyderabad from 6 a.m. on Friday until 11 p.m. on Saturday. Inter-state and district buses heading to MGBS will take designated alternative routes, with restrictions in force from 6 a.m. on Friday to 8 a.m. on Saturday. Private buses have already been directed to operate from locations outside the city and stay off the roads until noon on Saturday.

Travellers to and from the airport have been asked to avoid NTR Marg, PVNR Marg, Tank Bund and the main procession route, and to use the PVNR Expressway or Outer Ring Road instead.

In the Future City Police Commissionerate, 1,974 idols are scheduled for immersion on Friday alone, the highest number during the four-day schedule from September 22 to 25. Twelve major tanks, ponds and check dams have been identified across the commissionerate, with 607 idols expected to reach these locations on Friday.

Cyberabad Police have also stepped up preparations, with Commissioner M. Ramesh inspecting Nettampur Lake in Narsingi, Kokapet Lake, Rayasamudram Lake, Saki Lake in Ameenpur and Gangaram Lake in Chandanagar on Thursday.

Hyderabad Police have urged people to plan their journeys before setting out. Traffic assistance is available on 040-27852482, 8712660600 and 9010203626.