Ahmedabad: Beginning tonight, many Amdavadis will spend Navratri following the beat from one commercial venue to another. Others will step out of their homes and find a full-scale celebration waiting within their society, complete with bands, decorators, caterers and crowds running into the thousands. Beyond these organised events, neighbourhood garba will bring the festival to local streets and community spaces.Together, more than 2,000 venues in and around the city are expected to host revellers over nine nights.According to city police officials, 84 commercial garba venues have been granted permission within Ahmedabad city, while around 36 ticketed events are planned in the city’s periphery under the jurisdiction of Ahmedabad Rural police.Jasmine Trivedi, a Vastrapur resident and college student, said she had planned to attend garba events on five nights. “Every venue offers a different ambience and experience, so our group is excited to visit events, mostly in and around SG Highway. Compared with last year, we have had to spend more money,” she said.
Several residential societies have also planned elaborate celebrations for their residents. Jayesh Patel, secretary of a society in South Bopal, said the organisers had hired a band, decorators and caterers with contributions from residents and sponsors. “We easily get more than 1,500 revellers on any night, so it matters to residents that they get the experience of a well-managed event within the society,” he said.More than 1,300 local events, or sheri garba programmes, will be held in Ahmedabad, police officials said. Around 840 such events are planned in the city’s periphery, said Om Prakash Jat, superintendent of police, Ahmedabad Rural.The police have stepped up surveillance from Saturday to prevent untoward incidents, manage crowds and keep traffic moving. Officials said random checks would be conducted to ensure that organisers had the necessary permissions and adequate safety arrangements.Ashvin Chauhan, joint commissioner of police (traffic), said permissions had been issued only to organisers who had obtained no-objection certificates from the fire department.Managing traffic during the night will be a key challenge for the police. Senior officials said an extensive plan had been prepared to regulate crowds, prevent congestion on major roads and ensure women’s safety. Traffic personnel will be deployed on SG Highway and SP Ring Road until 3am, officials said.
Students from various colleges and performing arts institutes showcase traditional Navratri dance forms at a Navrangpura club in Ahmedabad on Saturday October 10, 2026
Around 49 SHE teams will be deployed at garba venues. The teams will include personnel in traditional garba attire as well as uniformed officers to assist women and monitor incidents of harassment, a senior police officer said. Women facing trouble can call the 181 or 112 helplines for immediate assistance.Anti-narcotics teams will conduct checks using drug-testing kits, while the special operations group (SOG) will use breath analysers to check for drunk driving and alcohol consumption, the official said.Police have also warned people against buying fraudulent online garba passes. Action will be taken against those using fake passes, officials said. The cybercrime monitoring team will monitor unauthorised photography and the circulation of images of women online.Traffic restrictions in placeFrom Oct 11 to 20, the entry of heavy vehicles, including trucks, dumpers and large luxury buses, will be prohibited in the city between 10pm and 2am. The restriction is being extended from the usual 10pm cut-off to ease traffic movement during Navratri.Twenty cranes will be deployed to remove vehicles obstructing traffic.To ease congestion on SG Highway, the road connecting YMCA Club and Karnavati Club is being expedited and is expected to open to traffic on the first night of Navratri.Cops to be deployed till 3am at these spotsYMCA Club Junction, Karnavati Club Junction, Bhagwandas Circle Junction, Mumatpura Circle, Vaishnodevi Circle, Pakwan Crossroads, Sindhu Bhavan Road, SG Highway-Prahladnagar Junction, Palladium Junction, Sola Bhagwat Junction, Ognaj Circle, Bhadaj Circle, LJ College Road Circle, all crossroads connecting SP Ring Road to SG Highway, Shilaj Circle
