Pune, 20 August 2025: With Ganeshotsav around the corner, city authorities have begun extensive preparations to ensure the festival is celebrated peacefully and without disputes.
On Tuesday, a joint meeting was held at Balgandharva Rangmandir with police, municipal corporation, district administration, and Ganesh mandal representatives to discuss key issues, especially the ongoing differences over participation in the immersion procession.
Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said the police force, civic body, MSEDCL, and district officials are working together to ensure smooth celebrations. He acknowledged that disagreements among some leading mandals over immersion processions had created friction, but stressed that for the police, all mandals are equal.
“We will engage with mandal representatives, public leaders, and respected citizens to find a balanced solution by August 25,” he said.
Kumar also urged mandals to take precautions against short circuits during the rainy season, avoid objectionable themes, and cooperate with police on traffic, parking, and crowd management. Preventive action is already being taken against those with a criminal background, he said, adding that strict measures will be enforced against illegal liquor sales during immersion.
To improve communication, local police stations and traffic departments have been asked to directly meet mandal representatives and create WhatsApp groups for coordination.
Referring to the stampede-like situation during Dahi Handi earlier this week, Kumar instructed traffic and wireless departments to plan more carefully for immersion day. He stressed the need to open unnecessary no-entry zones and manage pedestrian flow in congested areas to avoid overcrowding.
He also appealed to mandals for “self-reflection,” saying accusations and rivalries were harming the spirit of the festival. “Everyone here is a devotee of Ganesh. No mandal is small or big. Let us resolve issues peacefully,” he added.
District Collector Jitendrakumar Dudi said the administration would provide support with electricity, roads, sanitation, and water during the festival. He urged mandals to create socially relevant tableaux that send a positive message.
Municipal Commissioner Nawal Kishore Ram assured that more portable toilets and civic facilities would be set up compared to last year, and that regional officers would stay in touch with mandal leaders to resolve issues quickly.
During the meeting, however, several mandal representatives expressed frustration over poor coordination and what they described as the administration’s indifference. They demanded not just instructions but practical steps to make the festival smoother.
Suggestions included publishing contact numbers of key officials, limiting the number of drum troupes, avoiding road closures in certain areas, giving early morning permissions for willing mandals, and ensuring equal treatment for all processions.
While some mandal leaders urged greater restraint from the prestigious mandals, others stressed that commercialization of the festival should be discouraged. Civic officials were asked to conduct at least two to three more rounds of dialogue with mandals before immersion day to iron out remaining concerns.
The authorities concluded the meeting by emphasizing that coordination between police, civic, and electricity departments, along with cooperation from mandals, would be key to ensuring that Pune’s Ganeshotsav is celebrated safely and remains an event of pride for the city.