Subheadline: Protesters and senior citizens seek stricter enforcement of sound limits during festivals, processions, weddings and public celebrations.
Pune | August 31, 2026
Pune residents held protests at Namdar Gopal Krishna Gokhale Chowk and along Bajirao Road, demanding a DJ-free Ganesh festival and stricter enforcement of sound pollution rules during public celebrations. The demonstrations took place amid a growing dispute in the city over the use of loudspeakers and high-volume DJ systems during festivals.
Protesters gathered at the Artists’ Corner near Gokhale Chowk with placards and slogans including “Festivals bring joy, not punishment” and “My eyes, my ears, my heart, my right”. Their demand was that loud, amplified sound should not be permitted during celebrations of any religion and that existing rules should be implemented more firmly.
Participants said the issue extended beyond Ganeshotsav to processions, anniversaries, weddings and other public events. Yashodhara Gadgil, who took part in the protest, called for permanent restrictions on walls of loudspeakers producing excessive noise in public spaces. She also said that limits should apply to bands and ordinary loudspeakers, not only DJ systems.
“Smoking is banned in public places. Similarly, there should be a permanent ban on walls of loudspeakers that produce harsh noise,” Gadgil said, according to the report. She added that the restrictions should cover celebrations and ceremonies across religions and that the administration should implement the decisions without delay.
The protests followed a meeting at the Pune Municipal Corporation concerning the use of loudspeakers during Ganeshotsav. According to the report, a citizen had demanded that loudspeakers not be used during the festival, leading to a heated exchange. The use of amplified sound during festivals has since become a prominent issue in the city.
Mukund Kirdat, spokesperson for the Aam Aadmi Party and one of the protesters, alleged that the municipal commissioner had not taken a clear position during a meeting with Ganesh mandals. He also criticised Mayor Manjusha Nagpure for reportedly saying that her workers should not face inconvenience. Kirdat attributed the need for residents to protest to what he described as a collective failure by the mayor, municipal commissioner and police commissioner.
The protesters linked excessive urban noise to health concerns, particularly for children, patients and senior citizens. They called for traditional instruments and other less-intensive forms of celebration, while maintaining that festivals of all communities should continue to be observed with enthusiasm.
A separate march by senior citizens was held on Bajirao Road on Sunday. Participants marched from Bajirao Road to Shaniwar Wada and sought a ban on DJs in public places along with strict enforcement of sound-level regulations. They said continuous walls of loudspeakers could have serious effects on the health of children, patients and elderly residents.
The report does not specify any new municipal or police order issued after the protests. The immediate public demand remains the implementation of sound limits and restrictions on high-volume DJ systems during the forthcoming festival period.
