Pune authorities have blocked public access to the upper section of Dive Ghat on 22 June, citing steep terrain, ongoing road-widening, and heavy rainfall risks as pivotal factors in safeguarding thousands of warkaris participating in the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj palkhi procession.
The prohibition, enforced via a formal order under Section 163 of the BNSS 2023, will run from midnight to midday. Law enforcement has been instructed to prevent public ascent of the ghat, previously a favoured vantage point, where crowding combined with unstable rock faces posed considerable risk. Local police officials confirmed that steep inclines, loosened boulders and cliff erosion—exacerbated by four-laning roadworks—warranted the measure. The ghat route, connecting Bhairoba Nala to Saswad, has seen aggressive widening under the National Highways Authority, triggering safety concerns amid monsoon showers.
Authorities have urged devotees to view the palkhi via alternate roadside platforms or virtually, directing crowds toward designated zones equipped with barricades and emergency flank routes. This coordinated safety strategy ensures the procession proceeds without human congestion or collapse hazards blocking the path. The Ashadhi Wari pilgrimage draws millions of warkaris each year, traversing rugged terrain over weeks to reach Pandharpur. Dive Ghat, given its scenic outlook, has historically attracted large onlookers, but officials say that insiders and tourists entering the hillside have disrupted pace, blocked traffic, and increased the risk of accidents.
In response, Pune police have deployed over 8,000 personnel—supported by Home Guards, QRT teams, bomb squads, and NDRF units—along the palkhi routes, including Dive Ghat. A three-tier barricading system and real-time GPS tracking of palkhi vehicles have been deployed to safeguard women, elderly citizens, and participants. With heavy rainfall expected on the palkhi day, terrain specialists and civic engineers emphasise that hillside regions like Dive Ghat become particularly unstable during monsoons. Road widening has led to loosened rocks and potential landslide zones. As such, closing off the ghat summit is both a civic safety and climate-adaptation measure in keeping with Pune’s green and equitable city ethos.
Planning authorities have ensured that meteorological alerts are integrated into pilgrimage logistics this year. Pune’s civic‑planning departments have worked with Metro and Fire services to resurface roads, inspect street‑lights, and deploy emergency help‑desks—measures originally mandated in response to route disruptions caused by metro development and storm delays. Throughout the city, residents have supported the palkhi, offering meals, footwear, healthcare and rest stops to pilgrims—especially in areas cleared of construction debris. This community-generated support network complements official structures, ensuring sustainable and inclusive pilgrim movement.
Officials have emphasised women’s safety by deploying gender-responsive marshals, ensuring well-lit walkways and water stations along alternative paths. Elderly and differently-abled pilgrims are being prioritised for low-noise zones and clear entry routes. Planners aim to treat pilgrimage inclusively, protecting citizens beyond mere crowd control. Temporary bans on ghat access reflect deeper adaptations for monsoon season in sacred transit routes. Integrated urban planning now prioritises landslide monitoring, debris clearance, and ecological restoration alongside ritual tradition. These measures echo trends in other Indian cities where infrastructure upgrades are integrated into pilgrimage corridors.
Experts stress the need for continuous monitoring and post-event soil testing after heavy rains, alongside public awareness campaigns about safer viewing zones. The long-term goal is to upcycle these hilly taluks into safer greenbelt corridors aligned with Pune’s zero-carbon resilience strategy. As the palkhi departs from Pune early morning on 22 June, safety officials will maintain surveillance until the route clears. Following the procession, teams will inspect for rockfall, repair gabion walls and reopen gated paths one by one. The trust of citizens in civic safety remains paramount—as does the city’s promise to honour pilgrimage traditions while preventing accidents.
Pune’s decision emerges not just as a reactive crowd-control measure, but as a proactive policy step—a fusion of faith, foresight and ecological wisdom. The question now is whether this shift can be institutionalised, helping transform pilgrimage routes into sustainable, liveable corridors for all—not just today, but every monsoon season to come.
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