The mega event of Ganesh idols immersion, the culmination of the 11-day Vinayaka Chaturthi festivities, began here on Wednesday amid elaborate security arrangements.
About 25,000 Ganesh idols of different sizes would be immersed at various lakes in the limits of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) with an estimated 12 lakh people taking part in the event, officials said.
However, the picturesque Hussain Sagar lake in the heart of the city would be the main venue for immersion, where over 13,000 of idols will be immersed. The procession began with the Ganesh idol installed at Balapur on the outskirts of the city which left for immersion at around 10.30 am as per tradition.
The journey of Balapur Ganesh would pass via communally-sensitive areas in old city like Shah-Ali-Banda, Macca Masjid and Charminar areas before reaching Hussain Sagar.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister K. Rosaiah accompanied by several ministers including home minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy, health minister D. Nagender, offered prayers at the over 50-ft tall Vinayaka idol at Khairatabad, the tallest in the city.
The city police made elaborate arrangements for the immersion by deploying over 30,000 policemen and also RAF personnel. The Army has been asked to stand by to face any eventuality, police commissioner A.K. Khan said.
Khan visited the old city areas this morning and had a review meeting on the security situation and arrangements. As many as 272 hyper-sensitive and 543 sensitive places have been identified in the city.
The city water board and several voluntary organisations have made arrangements to provide water and snacks along the route to those participating in the processions.