Traffic changes for Ganesh Festival in mid-city areas of Pune

As per the orders of Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic) Amol Zende, a complete ban on plying of heavy vehicles has been imposed on patches of 12 roads in mid-city area of Pune, till September 18.

Traffic diversions will be imposed on Lakshmi Road, Shivaji Road, Bajirao Road and Tilak Road till September 18. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)

To prevent overcrowding and congestion during the ten-day Ganesh festival beginning Saturday, the Pune City Police has imposed a ban on plying of heavy vehicles on 12 arterial roads in central parts of the city along with traffic diversions on several roads.

As per the orders of Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic) Amol Zende, a complete ban on plying of heavy vehicles has been imposed on patches of 12 roads in mid-city area of Pune, till September 18.

These 12 roads are Laxmi Road (from Alka Chowk to Sant Kabir Chowk), Kelkar Road (Futka Buruj to Alka Chowk), Kumthekar Road (Shanipar to Alka Chowk), Bajirao Road (Puram Chowk to Gadgil Statue), Tilak Road (Jedhe Chowk to Alka Chowk), Shashtri Road (Senadatt Chowky to Alka Chowk), Karve Road (Nal Stop to Khandojibaba Chowk), Fergusson College Road (Khandojibaba Chowk to Veer Chapekar Chowk), Jangali Maharaj Road (SG Barve Chowk to Khandojibaba Chowk), Shivaji Road (Gadgil Statue to Jedhe Chowk), Sinhagad Road (Savarkar Chowk to Rajaram bridge) and Ganesh Road (Power House to Jijamata Chowk).

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Traffic diversions will be imposed on Lakshmi Road, Shivaji Road, Bajirao Road and Tilak Road till September 18. The stretch from Gadgil statue to Jedhe Chowk on the Shivaji Road, Hamjekhan Chowk to Tilak Chowk on Lakshmi Road, Puram Chowk to Appa Balwant Chowk on Bajirao Road and MCCIA, Shukrawar Peth to Hirabag Chowk on Tilak Road, will be closed for traffic during the Ganesh festival. Police have appealed to commuters to move to alternative routes and co-operate with the traffic police.

Meanwhile, dedicated parking arrangements will also be made for the fifth, seventh and ninth day of the festival when a section of devotees conduct idol immersion or visarjan rituals. These dedicated parking areas have been allotted on Nehru Road between Mitramandal Chowk and Savarkar Chowk, Sangam Bridge Ghat, under the SM Joshi Bridge behind Garware College and near Baba Bhide Bridge.

On September 8, on the occasion of ‘Atharvashirsha’ programme in front of the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganesh Temple, vehicles would not be allowed to travel from Jijamata Chowk to Rameshwar Temple Chowk on the Shivaji Road and Appa Balwant Chowk to Budhwar Chowk. Also, vehicles would be diverted from Sonya Maruti Chowk on Lakshmi road, during the event. Thousands of women gather for ‘Atharvashirsha’ programme from 5 am onwards.

A separate plan for traffic arrangements for the 10th day of the festival–Anant Chaturdashi–will be unveiled later as the majority of the idols are immersed on that day.

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