This Ganesh Chaturthi, Hyderabad pandals to have QR code

Ganesh pandals being erected in the city this year will have a QR Code for fool-proof security and will also keep a tab on police officials visiting the area during the 11-day celebrations, a top police official said in Hyderabad on Wednesday. "Once permission is granted online for putting up a pandal on a request, a QR code is generated. The advantage of this is that once a police officer goes there for checks, he has to put his cellphone in front of the QR code and we will come to know which police officer visited the area and at what time," Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar told PTI.

Replying to a query, he said the department expects more than 25,000 requests this year for setting up pandals for Ganesh Chaturthi.

The QR code would also help police streamline the procession of Ganesh idols, which will be immersed on the day of culmination of the festival, a police official said. About 20,000 to 21,000 police personnel would be deployed to oversee the 11-day long festival celebrations, Anjani Kumar said.

The department has held a series of meetings with all the stakeholders for the smooth conduct of the festival, he said. He urged the public to install small and eco-friendly Ganesh idols, keeping in mind environmental concerns.