Navratri Times
Ahmedabad: With Navratri set to begin on Sunday, 84 commercial garba organizers in Ahmedabad have applied for police permission, with authorities making a mandatory Fire No Objection Certificate (NOC) a strict prerequisite for approval. In addition to commercial events, the city will host street garbas across approximately 1,300 locations, requiring extensive security and traffic management. Traffic personnel will remain stationed at major junctions along the SG Highway and Sardar Patel Ring Road until 3am, supported by 20 towing cranes to clear obstructions. Around 49 SHE teams, dressed in both traditional festive attire and official uniforms, will be deployed at venues to safeguard women, while the 181 helpline remains active for immediate emergency support.
Joint commissioner of police (Traffic) Ashvin Chauhan stated that permissions are being processed around the clock and are granted immediately upon obtaining fire clearance, noting that eight organizers were approved by Saturday evening. To manage the heavy festive rush, city police have established a multi-pronged security and traffic blueprint. To alleviate congestion on SG Highway, the connecting road between YMCA Club and Karnavati Club is being rushed to open on the first night of Navratri. Late-night police deployments will cover critical choke points, including Vaishnodevi Circle, Pakwan Crossroads, Sindhu Bhavan Road, Prahladnagar Junction, Palladium Junction, Sola Bhagwat, and major intersections along SP Ring Road. Safety and enforcement measures have also been intensified across all venues. City police are coordinating with Ahmedabad Rural police to monitor peripheral venues, utilizing Special Operations Group breath analysers for drunk driving checks and anti-narcotics teams equipped with rapid drug-testing kits. Authorities have also issued stern warnings against fraudulent online garba passes, while cybercrime units actively monitor venues to prevent unauthorised photography and the online circulation of women’s images.
