Pune district authorities have rolled out a detailed mobility plan ahead of a major religious gathering near Ramling in Shirur, with Shirur traffic diversions scheduled from February 24 to March 2 between 10 am and 6 pm daily. The temporary changes are expected to affect regional road movement across eastern Pune district, prompting commuters and logistics operators to recalibrate travel plans.
The event is likely to draw thousands of visitors from across Pune city, Pimpri-Chinchwad and neighbouring talukas. Given Shirur’s location along the Pune–Ahmednagar corridor, officials anticipate heavy vehicular inflows that could spill over onto arterial highways if unmanaged. The Shirur traffic diversions aim to segregate event-bound vehicles from routine intercity traffic. According to the district administration’s advisory, vehicles travelling towards the Ramling site through Shirur town will be rerouted from key junctions and directed along a loop of municipal roads and sections of the old Pune–Ahmednagar Highway before connecting to the designated access road. Return traffic will follow an alternate alignment to prevent cross-flow congestion and maintain steady throughput on primary corridors.
Traffic police personnel will be stationed at major intersections to guide drivers and manage peak surges. Devotees have been advised to park only in earmarked zones and walk to the venue to reduce pressure near the event perimeter. Emergency access lanes will remain operational throughout the week.
For Pune’s broader mobility network, the Shirur traffic diversions highlight the strain episodic events can place on peri-urban infrastructure. Transport planners note that eastern Pune has witnessed rapid residential and warehousing growth in recent years, increasing baseline traffic even before event-related spikes. Temporary rerouting, while necessary, underscores the need for long-term investments in road widening, structured parking, and real-time traffic communication systems.
Freight operators moving goods along the Pune–Ahmednagar axis may experience time variability during restricted hours. Industry representatives suggest staggered dispatch schedules and alternate routing through outer corridors to minimise disruption. Local businesses in Shirur, meanwhile, could see short-term economic activity linked to increased visitor footfall. Urban governance experts observe that as Pune district expands, managing mobility during high-footfall events will require integrated planning across transport, policing and civic agencies. Event-based traffic strategies are increasingly part of metropolitan management, especially in regions where cultural gatherings intersect with growing commuter belts.
Authorities have urged residents and motorists to cooperate with the advisory framework to maintain safety and order. The effectiveness of the Shirur traffic diversions over the coming days will test Pune district’s capacity to balance civic activity with seamless regional connectivity an increasingly critical task in a fast-urbanising landscape.
Pune Announces Shirur Traffic Diversions Plan
