Mumbai all set for Anna's three-day fast

Work is on at a hectic pace at Mumbai's MMRDA grounds, where Anna Hazare will lead a three-day fast for the Lokpal Bill starting on Tuesday.

Workers have been working hard to make the MMRDA ground in the Bandra-Kurla complex ready for the fast. The police personnel have conducted a recce and fire officials have also conducted an inspection at the venue. The Maharashtra government has deployed 2000 police constables and 200 sub-inspectors of police at the venue.

Media vans have lined up and the stage is set for Hazare's three-day fast, after nearly Rs 8 lakh were paid to rent the ground. Some permits, though, are still pending.

The security at the ground will comprise 2,000 constables, 200 sub-inspectors of police, six platoons of state reserve police force, three teams of Quick Response Team and two Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads.

The ground will have six emergency exits, 16 fire extinguishers and six metal detector units, besides round-the-clock ambulance services.

Out of the 30,000 sq metre-ground , 10,000 sq metres will be reserved for parking. A fire engine will be deployed during the three days, that comes at a price of Rs 3.5 lakh. The IAC has already booked over 300 dormitories in Bandra and Kurla and over 2,000 policemen will be manning the venue 24x7.

Mumbai police DCP (Zone VIII) Satyanarayan Choudhary said, "We will do frisking of the people coming in and there will be a control room to monitor the area."

People have slowly started gathering at the MMRDA grounds even as work is on in full speed to ensure the grounds are ready by Monday evening. Team Anna are expecting nearly one lakh people to show up for Hazare's third protest this year.

Anna Hazare, who will arrive in Mumbai on Monday evening, will start his three-day fast on Tuesday, which will be followed by a 'jail bharo' (fill the jail) agitation.

(With additional information from PTI)