Hyderabad Metro: Services Extended Till 1 Am On Ganesh Idol Immersion Day – News18

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations are just around the corner. Preparations across India have already begun in full swing to observe the auspicious festival on September 18.

Amidst the festive fever, the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) has come up with a new advisory. The metro authorities have taken up special transport measures to control and accommodate the massive crowd of devotees who are expected to arrive at the iconic Khairatabad Ganesh idol to seek blessings from the deity.

To ensure a hassle-free travel experience, the HMRL has also announced that metro services will be available until 1 a.m. on the day of Ganesh idol immersion.

According to HMRL Managing Director NVS Reddy, the metro officials will be implementing stringent measures to curb the excessive crowd rush. They will be levelling up security and safety measures for the metro passengers.

“We are planning to run extended services until 1 am on immersion day, as we have done in previous years,” revealed NVS Reddy in a statement, as cited by Telangana Today. The director added that this decision will enable commuters to access the Khairatabad metro station even during late night hours. The decree comes in lieu of the pilgrims who visit the Khairatabad Ganesh idol every year in large numbers, starting from the first day of Ganesh Chaturthi.

Additional measures by the HMRL include setting up extra ticket counters at the Khairatabad station. Counters have also been established at other metro stations in close proximity. This decision is taken so that passengers are able to purchase tickets easily at different counters without having to wait in long queues.

It would also enable lesser delays with the devotees being able to board the metro carriages easily and visit the iconic temple. Overseeing the crowd that is likely to be present at the premises, security forces will be deployed at the Khairatabad station as well as other crucial metro stations as well.

Every year, people celebrate the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi -festival in approximately 70,000 Ganesh Chaturthi pandals in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. One of the largest and oldest Ganesha idols in the nation may be found in Hyderabad’s Khairatabad Gowlipura Ganesh Pandal.

In Hyderabad, there are other notable Ganesh Chaturthi pandals in the Kamala Nagar Balapur, Chaitanyapuri, Durgam Cheruvu, and New Nagole neighbourhoods. The celebrations, also known as Ganapathi Navratri Utsavam, start on Ganesh Chaturthi and end on Anant Chaturdashi.