Pune police have announced stricter sound-control measures for the Ganesh visarjan procession, including decibel checks at 120 locations, a limit of two dhol-tasha groups per mandal and a 10-minute cap on stationary performances at major junctions.
The measures will apply along key procession routes including Laxmi Road, Kelkar Road, Tilak Road and Kumthekar Road. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said discussions had been held with office-bearers of 638 Ganesh mandals using these routes, as well as with leaders of dhol-tasha groups.
Police said sound levels during the procession would be measured using decibel-monitoring equipment. Dhol-tasha groups have been asked to comply with prescribed noise limits, and action will be taken against groups that exceed them. The announcement follows the Supreme Court’s rules on noise pollution, which police said would be implemented strictly during the immersion celebrations.
Each participating mandal will be allowed to include no more than two dhol-tasha groups in the procession. At major chowks, stationary performances will be limited to 10 minutes. The restrictions are intended to regulate the duration and intensity of performances at points where processions pause or move slowly through the city.
Police have also issued restrictions on loudspeaker systems. The use of ‘pressure mid’ and ‘plasma sound’ equipment has not been permitted. Mandals may use four bass units and four top units, according to the instructions issued by the police.
Police teams will inspect the loudspeaker systems of participating mandals at their locations. If a sound system is found to have exceeded the permitted limit, it may be seized on the spot. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar also warned that criminal cases would be registered in such instances.
The police said they had maintained communication with mandal office-bearers before the festival and had also engaged with organisers ahead of the Dahi Handi celebrations. The next enforcement step will be on-site inspection of sound systems and decibel monitoring along the immersion procession routes.
