Pune, 4th September 2026: Pune Police will follow a uniform approach for all festivals in the city, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said on Wednesday, while appealing to Ganesh mandals to cooperate with the authorities during Ganeshotsav.
Speaking at a meeting of Ganesh mandal representatives, police officials and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch, Kumar said the rules governing sound systems would apply equally to all festivals. DJ setups during celebrations will be restricted to four bass units and four top speakers.
"The four-bass and four-top rule will apply to everyone. If more sound equipment is used, it will not be possible to maintain the prescribed noise limits," Kumar said.
He said most Ganesh mandals and volunteers follow the rules and court directions, but warned that those who deliberately take a different approach could face legal action.
"About 99 per cent of Ganesh mandals and volunteers accept the police position. If someone chooses to take a different stand and violates the rules, a criminal case may be registered and they will have to face the court process," he said.
Kumar said the police do not want to take a confrontational approach towards Ganesh mandals and would work with organisers to resolve practical difficulties.
"We do not have a confrontational approach towards you. The police force is your own, and we are also devotees of Ganpati. If there are genuine difficulties, the police will cooperate," he said.
He said last year's efforts to complete the processions of the five prominent Ganpatis earlier than usual did not fully succeed, with the processions continuing for another one-and-a-half to two hours. However, better crowd management prevented any major stampede or serious incident.
"This year, there has been greater sensitivity through discussions with the mandals. People of Pune will see improvements in procession management," Kumar said.
He also urged mandals and police to work together during both Dahi Handi and Ganeshotsav.
"Instead of allowing differences to turn into criminal cases and court proceedings, everyone should adopt a sensible and inclusive approach," he said.
The mandal representatives used the meeting to highlight several problems that could affect the smooth conduct of the festival.
Their major concerns included:
Potholes on roads should be repaired before Ganeshotsav.
More than 3,000 abandoned vehicles should be removed.
Illegal parking on Laxmi Road and Tilak Road should be cleared.
Non-functional streetlights should be repaired.
Adequate public toilets should be provided for men and women.
Traffic and crowd management should be improved during processions.
Procession passes should be issued several days in advance.
Police should avoid rough handling or alleged physical mistreatment of volunteers.
Festival rules should be enforced uniformly and not selectively.
Mandal representatives said around 225 Ganesh mandals take part in processions on Tilak Road and called for special arrangements there.
They also sought additional traffic and crowd-management measures at Swargate Chowk, where processions arrive from multiple directions.
The organisers asked the PMC to welcome Ganesh mandals on Tilak Road in the same manner as those participating in the Laxmi Road procession.
Mandal representatives also questioned the difference in treatment between DJ systems and traditional dhol-tasha groups.
"Thousands of drums are played during the processions and the sound levels can also cross the prescribed limits. If the rules are about noise, why is cooperation not extended to DJs?" representatives asked.
The police maintained that the prescribed sound limits would apply equally and that organisers would have to ensure compliance.
Kumar directed police officials to improve coordination with mandals and complete preparations well before the festival.
Each police station has been instructed to ensure that officers regularly meet Ganesh mandal representatives and jointly discuss traffic and security arrangements.
The Commissioner also directed officials to:
Issue procession passes at least a week in advance.
Consider permissions for both procession days.
Coordinate with the PMC to repair potholes before the festival.
Make special traffic arrangements for Laxmi Road and Tilak Road.
Put up boards providing information about Ganesh mandals and one-way routes.
Give priority to women's safety during the celebrations.
Conduct an anti-drug campaign during Ganeshotsav.
Kumar also warned organisers against objectionable performances during public celebrations.
"Obscene songs or objectionable performances at Dahi Handi and other programmes will not be permitted," he said.
He also asked officials to consider arrangements for street vendors so that their presence does not create additional traffic or crowd-management problems.
The Commissioner appealed to organisers to work with the police instead of allowing disagreements over festival rules to escalate.
"Do not spread incorrect information. Most mandals follow the decisions taken in meetings and the court orders. Everyone should work together with a sensible and inclusive approach," Kumar said.
