The Hyderabad Police have deployed 2,500 personnel and put in place AI-enabled surveillance and extensive crowd management measures for the Shree Ujjaini Mahankali Bonalu festival in Secunderabad, assuring devotees of a safe and hassle-free darshan.
The arrangements were announced during a series of coordination meetings held on Saturday by the Secunderabad Zone police with Shivashaktulu and Joginis, members of the Shree Ujjaini Mahankali Temple committee, and representatives of the print and electronic media.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Secunderabad Zone) Rakshitha Krishna Murthy said elaborate arrangements have been made in coordination with various government departments to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival.
Special queue lines have been earmarked for Joginis, with entry from Bata Road, while two dedicated coordination teams will assist Joginis and Shivashaktulu during the festivities. Two separate queue lines have also been arranged for women carrying Bonalu, with access from Bata Road and Rocha Bazaar, in addition to two general queues for devotees and two dedicated queues for pass holders.
The police said special security arrangements would be made for the Rangam programme, including for Swarnalatha, while ensuring that darshan for the general public would continue uninterrupted even during VIP visits.
To strengthen security, 10 plainclothes crime teams will be deployed from July 31 to identify suspicious persons and prevent offences. The temple premises and surrounding areas will be under continuous CCTV surveillance from the Mahankali police station.
Ms. Murthy said AI-enabled CCTV cameras would also be used to detect suspicious movements, with immediate action to be taken wherever required. She added that the police had made comprehensive arrangements to ensure devotees faced minimal inconvenience during the annual Bonalu celebrations.
