Road closures and diversions for Thane’s Dahi Handi celebrations caused traffic congestion across several parts of the city on Saturday, while the participation of children below 14 in some human pyramids raised questions about compliance with a judicial age condition, according to a report by Loksatta. The Thane police commissionerate area hosted 254 public Dahi Handi events this year.
The celebrations drew Govinda teams from Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Palghar after organisers, social organisations and political parties announced cash prizes running into lakhs of rupees. Groups began arriving at major roads and junctions from the morning, with teams competing to form tall human pyramids. Several teams from Thane and Mumbai reportedly formed nine-tier pyramids.
The festival also placed additional pressure on roads where events were organised. Traffic restrictions and diversions were imposed around Tembhi Naka, Raheja, Ghodbunder, Kasarvadavli, Pokhran and Castle Mill Naka. Vehicles were redirected to alternative routes, increasing the load on those roads. Vehicles belonging to Govinda teams parked along road edges further contributed to congestion, the report said.
The traffic impact was compounded by groups travelling through the city to reach different event venues. The road closures affected regular commuters, while the diverted traffic created congestion on routes that were not designed to absorb the additional volume, according to the report.
Safety compliance was also a concern at some venues. Instructions had been issued to give the highest priority to safety while forming human pyramids. However, children below 14 were reportedly seen participating in pyramids at some locations, despite a judicial condition that the Govinda at the top level must be at least 14 years old.
The conditions during the day added to the physical demands on participants. The absence of rain in the morning increased the heat, leaving Govinda teams sweating and fatigued. Rain arrived after 4 p.m., bringing cooler conditions and reviving the atmosphere at the venues.
Organisers appeared to have kept sound levels lower at several locations this year, according to the report. The events also attracted public figures, including Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, actors Govinda, Sanjay Dutt, Kranti Redkar and Mansi Kulkarni, and cricketer Suryakumar Yadav. Yadav described pro-Govinda as an indigenous sport and said it should be taken towards the Olympics. Actor Suniel Shetty spoke about efforts to encourage people in the film industry, as well as rickshaw and taxi drivers, to learn Marathi.
The report also noted that 10 Govindas were injured and taken to government hospitals for treatment. The immediate operational issues highlighted by the day’s events were the management of road closures, parking by participating teams, crowd movement and enforcement of safety conditions at public venues. Authorities’ next steps and any further details on injuries or enforcement action were not specified in the supplied report.
