Pune, 19 January 2025: As Pune hosts the international cycle competition Pune Grand Tour 2026, Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil addressed concerns related to traffic management and public inconvenience.
He said the district administration and Pune Police had been planning the event for nearly three months, with the main focus on ensuring smooth conduct while reducing inconvenience to the public.
Patil said road barricading, traffic diversions, and advance information to citizens were part of routine arrangements. However, he acknowledged that traffic would be stopped for brief periods at certain locations. He said managing such an event without affecting daily life was a challenge, but added that the police force was fully prepared for it.
Appealing to citizens, Patil urged Punekars to step out, watch the races, and encourage the cyclists, calling the Pune Grand Tour a major international event for the city.
The Pune Grand Tour 2026 officially began on today with the Prologue stage, which is crucial for determining the starting positions for the upcoming stages of the tour.
The opening rider was flagged off by Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar. Pune's cyclist Sachin Desai from the India Development Team had the honour of starting first, giving the event a strong local connect.
Police officials once again appealed for public cooperation, asking citizens to follow traffic advisories and treat the temporary inconvenience as part of hosting a prestigious international sporting event in Pune.
Of course there will be some problems and inconvenience for the people, traffic will be stopped for some time but this is a big international event for Pune, so, please come out and cheer.”Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil