Pune Ganesh Visarjan traffic arrangements will change substantially on Friday, September 25, with several important roads in the city’s central areas closed until the immersion celebrations conclude. Traffic police will implement a circular diversion plan to manage the large crowds expected for the procession and have urged residents to use the designated alternative route.
The traffic arrangements have been announced for the Ganesh Visarjan celebrations, when large numbers of devotees gather in central Pune. An independent traffic deployment will be in place under the guidance of Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic Branch, Dr Sandeep Bhajibhakare.
The closures will affect key roads connecting central Pune and major approach routes. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Road will be closed between Kakasaheb Gadgil Statue Junction and Jedhe Chowk. Laxmi Road will be closed between Sant Kabir Chowki and Tilak Chowk, also known as Alka Theatre Chowk. Bagade Road will be closed from Sonya Maruti Chowk to Phadke Haud Chowk.
Other closures include Gurunanak Road between Devjibaba Chowk, Hamzekhan Chowk and Govind Halwai Chowk; Ganesh Road between Daruwala Bridge and Jijamata Chowk; Kelkar Road between Budhwar Chowk and Tilak Chowk; Bajirao Road between the Swatantryaveer Savarkar Statue and Futka Buruj Chowk; and Kumthekar Road between Tilak Chowk and Vishrambaug Chowk.
Lal Bahadur Shastri Road will be closed between Senadatta Chowki Chowk and Tilak Chowk. On Jungli Maharaj Road, the closure will extend from Jhansi Rani Chowk to Khandoji Baba Chowk. Karve Road will be closed between Nal Stop Chowk and Khandoji Baba Chowk, while Namdar Gopal Krishna Gokhale Road will be closed between Khandoji Baba Chowk and the main entrance of Fergusson College.
The traffic restrictions will also cover Bhandarkar Road between the PYCC Gymkhana and Namdar Gokhale Chowk through to Deccan Gymkhana Chowk, also known as Nataraj Chowk. Pune-Satara Road will be closed between Volga Chowk, or Laxminarayan Chowk, and Jedhe Chowk. Solapur Road will be closed between Dhole Patil Road, near Seven Loves Chowk, and Jedhe Chowk. Prabhat Road will be closed between the Deccan Post Office and Shelar Mama Chowk.
To manage traffic on the closed roads, the police have prepared a circular alternative route. The route runs through Karve Road, Nal Stop, Law College Road, Senapati Bapat Road, Ganeshkhind Road, Vechashala Chowk, also known as Shimla Office, Sancheti Hospital, Engineering College, Shahid Amar Shaikh Chowk on Dr Ambedkar Road, Maldhakka Chowk, Bolhai Chowk, Narpatgiri Chowk, Nehru Road near Sant Kabir Chowki, Seven Loves Chowk and Wakharmandal Chowk.
From there, motorists will be directed towards Shivneri Road, the Gultekdi Market Yard, Pune-Satara Road and Volga Chowk. The circular route will then continue via Sinhagad Road, Mitramandal Chowk, Savarkar Chowk, Shastri Road, Senadatta Police Chowki, Anant Kanhere Path, Mhatre Bridge and Nal Stop.
The restrictions will remain in force until the immersion celebrations are completed. Traffic police have appealed to citizens to use the alternative circular route during the procession and follow instructions issued by personnel deployed along the affected roads.
