Pune, 22nd September 2026: Pune Police will allow Ganesh mandals that have participated in the main immersion procession for the past two or more years to take part again this year as a special measure, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said on Monday.
The decision was announced after office-bearers of around 150 mandals, which had received notices stating that they would not be allowed to participate in the main procession, met Kumar. Joint Commissioner of Police Sanjay Darade and Additional Commissioners Manoj Patil and Sanjay Bansode were also present at the meeting.
Kumar said mandals that have participated in the main procession for at least two consecutive years will be allowed to join this year through Kelkar Road and Kumthekar Road. Applications have also been invited from other mandals, and permissions will be considered based on those applications.
Mandals celebrating a major anniversary or a special festival year will also be allowed to participate. Public Ganesh mandals from the central peth areas that are participating in the procession for the first time this year, or participated for the first time last year, will be given an opportunity to join through Kelkar Road.
Police said a policy decision will be taken from next year regarding the participation of mandals formed after the COVID-19 pandemic and those that were temporarily allowed to participate in the main procession over the past two or three years.
The police had earlier decided against allowing newer mandals on the main procession routes to ensure smoother movement and better crowd management.
Representatives of mandals that were denied permission opposed the decision and demanded that they be allowed to participate on the main routes as they did last year. They also expressed concern that the decision was taken only five days before Ganeshotsav.
Last year, 604 Ganesh mandals participated in the main immersion procession. Of these, 237 entered through Tilak Road, 266 through Laxmi Road, 79 through Kelkar Road and 22 through Kumthekar Road.
The procession lasted 32 hours and 26 minutes last year. Pune Police said the decision to restrict the entry of newer mandals on the main routes is aimed at reducing the overall duration of the procession this year.
