Pune police will deploy more than 7,000 police personnel, 1,100 Home Guard personnel and specialised security units for the Ganeshotsav celebrations beginning Monday, with artificial intelligence-enabled cameras being used to monitor crowds across the city’s busiest areas, according to a report by Loksatta – Pune.
The security plan has been prepared in view of the large crowds expected during the festival and the possibility of disruptive or hostile activities. Separate arrangements will also be made for traffic management during the celebrations, particularly in Pune’s central areas, where major processions, public venues and transport hubs are expected to draw large numbers of visitors.
Police officials said AI-based cameras would assist with crowd monitoring. Twenty observation towers have been erected at major junctions in the central part of the city to support surveillance and crowd-control operations. Police assistance centres will also be established at crowded locations to help residents and visitors during the festival.
The deployment will cover prominent Ganesh mandals, crowded areas, marketplaces, metro stations in central Pune and Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited, or PMPML, bus station surroundings. These locations are among the key points where pedestrian movement, public transport operations and vehicular traffic will intersect during the celebrations.
Crime Branch teams will conduct patrols to prevent offences in crowded places, including mobile-phone theft and jewellery theft. Special teams will also be deployed to prevent harassment of women. Police officials said strict action would be taken against those involved in unlawful activities.
The planned deployment includes four additional commissioners of police, 14 deputy commissioners of police, 30 assistant commissioners of police, 215 police inspectors, 700 police sub-inspectors and 7,200 police personnel. Quick Response Teams and units of the State Reserve Police Force will also be deployed as part of the arrangements.
The security plan has been prepared under the guidance of Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police Sanjay Darade and Additional Commissioners of Police Rajesh Bansode, Manoj Patil, Sanjay Patil and Tejaswi Satpute, according to the report.
The arrangements place crowd surveillance alongside conventional police deployment, traffic regulation and crime-prevention patrols. For residents and visitors, the operational focus during the festival will include movement through central Pune, access to crowded public spaces and transport facilities, and assistance at designated police help centres. Police officials said the security and traffic arrangements would remain in place for the duration of the Ganeshotsav celebrations.
