3 min readPuneJun 30, 2026 07:04 PM IST
First published on: Jun 30, 2026 at 06:59 PM IST
As the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) gears up for the annual pilgrimage of ‘Warkaris’ to Pandharpur, the civic body, for the first time, decided to press into service ‘Foot massage machines’ in service for the pilgrims walking from Alandi, Dehu in Pune district to Pandharpur in Solapur district, a distance of nearly 300 kilometres.
The pilgrimage starts on July 7 and 8 from two places and will reach the city on July 8, where it will halt for the next two days and resume on July 11, and culminate on July 25 in Pandharpur. It covers a total distance of around 250 km.
The PMC has entrusted the specific responsibilities to various departments during the procession period of the Palkhi, which is an annual pilgrimage to Pandharpur in which lakhs of pilgrims walk from the temple towns of Alandi and Dehu to Pandharpur.
“The civic health department has been asked to set up a medical camp for pilgrims. It has also been asked to make available Foot Massage machines at the pandals being set up for pilgrims during their stay in the city. Also, the civic body should depute 30 students at each location for providing foot massage,” said additional municipal commissioner Prajit Nair.
He said the ward offices have been directed to ensure cleanliness of public toilets at least six times a day during the procession’s stay in the city to provide proper hygienic conditions and disinfect the area where the pilgrims will be staying. The civic education department should provide school buildings to pilgrims for their stay during their halt in the city.
Civic body rolls out extensive arrangements for pilgrims
The pandals should be waterproof considering the possibility of rain, Nair said, adding that there will be German Hangers on at least three big grounds where the pilgrims can stay, carry out programs, a breastfeeding cell, bathrooms, toilets, and health facilities will be made available.
All the civic hospitals should provide free treatment to pilgrims and stock sufficient medicines for the patients availing the treatment facility, he said.
The civic body will put up portable toilets on the entire pilgrimage route passing through the city from Khadki to Kalas.
Since the procession reaches its halt place in the evening, the civic electrical department will install extra lights on the route and install CCTV at various locations on the route to keep a check on any illegal activity, officials said.
The civic animal husbandry department has to take proper care of bullocks and horses that are part of the procession, Nair said.
The additional municipal commissioner said the roads should be made pothole-free and all encroachments should be removed, along with the barricading of construction sites, for the safety of pilgrims.
Warkaris gather at a temple before the annual Pandharpur pilgrimage. (File Photo) 
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