Hazaribagh, April 14: Sensitive Hazaribagh town has been divided into eight zones for upcoming Ram Navami celebrations in the weekend with 260 static magistrates deployed at various points on the procession routes and strategic points on other streets as well.

A district control room official told The Telegraph strict arrangements have been made to enable the Ram Navami processions, with an expected 100-plus akharas and a lakh-plus turnout, go smoothly. As many as 85 chowks have been identified in town where policemen would be posted. At 12 places, barricades are up.

Indrapuri Chowk, Jhanda Chowk, Malviya Marg, Boddom Bazar, Panch Mandir Chowk, Jama Masjid Road to Bari Bazar Chowk, where the processions will pass, would become no-entry zones for vehicles from Friday onwards till Sunday. The rest of the roads in Hazaribagh will be open.

DC Mukesh Kumar and SP Akhilesh Kumar Jha are monitoring security preparations, from deploying magistrates, district police, RAF and paramilitary forces to issuing helpline numbers, 1077 (toll-free) and 06546-265233, and installing CCTV cameras and drones.

SP Jha added that to keep an eye on eve-teasers, they would also deploy plainclothes policemen at points. Three watchtowers are also being set up on the procession route.

At district control room on Kutchery Road, a medical team with ambulance and fire-fighters will remain on alert.

Municipal corporation officials have been asked to inform residents not to dump construction materials on roads from Saturday onwards.

Though everywhere in India, Ram Navami procession ends on the Navami night, in Hazaribagh, Navami rallies are low-key neighbourhood affairs while the mega affair starts on Dashami night and goes on the next day as well.

DC Mukesh Kumar, however, met Ram Navami Mahasamiti members and akhara members asking them to follow what their counterparts in the rest of India do. "Akharas following this will be felicitated."