The Indian Express 03.09.2013
Civic body gears up to tackle double celebration
of Mumbai during the next week as the Mount Mary Church’s Bandra Fair
week, which begins September 8, coincides with Ganesh Chaturthi.
“On the Ganpati visarjan days of September 13 and 15, we will
have emergency support functions as the crowd situation in Bandra is
going to worsen. The functions include facilities for communication,
fire-fighting and resource management,” said civic disaster management
cell chief Mahesh Narvekar.
Assistant municipal commissioner (H-West ward )P Satkale said,
“We have formed two teams within the ward to deal with requisite
permissions and licensing for both Bandra fair and Ganeshotsav. We have
increased our public health and sanitation services and encroachment
removal capacity. We are also holding coordination meetings with the
Mumbai Police to prepare for law and order and traffic issues and
contingency plans.”
The H-West ward has also increased the frequency of bus services
from the BEST undertaking. Two medical camps will be held, one at the
Bandra Fair and the other near Ganpati festival venues to control the
spread of diseases.
Additional vehicles and inspectors will be provided to remove unlicenced vendors in the area that may add to traffic issues.
“More garbage bins and garbage collection vehicles will also be
employed to prevent the proliferation of diseases in the crowded zones.
We have also held meetings with utility agencies to avoid trenching on
the heavy traffic roads during the week,” said Satkale.
Traffic police officers said a plan was being prepared for the
convenience of motorists and commuters by setting up diversions for the
nine days of the Ganpati festival and the Bandra Fair week, on roads
that see heavy vehicular traffic.
“A plan has been prepared to ensure smooth vehicular traffic
this Ganpati and also a special road plan for Bandra and neighbouring
areas during the Bandra Fair,” said DCP (traffic) Pratap Dighavkar.
