8L devotees travel by WR suburban trains for Ganesh immersions during weekend; daily footfall at Charni Road as 46K

Mumbai : Western Railway officials on Sunday said that a total of eight lakh devotees utilised 376 Up and 435 Down suburban trains operated by WR without any disruption during the Ganesh immersions on Saturday. The footfall at Charni Road station on the last day was 46,000 commuters, as this station is close to Girgaum Chowpatty.The special arrangements made by WR included six pairs (12 services) of trains being run late at night, said WR Chief Spokesperson Vineet Abhishek. "A total of 300 security personnel from RPF and GRP were deployed. Strict directional discipline was ensured for the movement of passengers on the platform, and there were separate entry and exit gates for seamless movement," he said.There was additional deployment of 25 ticket-checking staff to nab those travelling without valid tickets. There were medical booths and ambulances for emergencies, while 52 CCTV cameras monitored the overall station premises.The WR directed its staff to ensure intensive and continuous cleaning of toilet blocks, and the overall arrangements were monitored by senior officers at the station and control office.