Pune (Maharashtra) [India], September 26 (ANI): Pune’s grand Ganeshotsav immersion procession took around 36 hours to conclude, the same as last year, with around 650 Ganesh mandals participating in the procession through the city’s prominent routes, including Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road and Kelkar Road, before arriving at Tilak Chowk Junction.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said the last Ganpati idol left Tilak Chowk for the immersion procession at 6:15 pm on Saturday, marking the culmination of the 12-day Ganeshotsav celebrations.
Despite the massive crowds in central Pune, the immersion procession passed off without any major untoward incident or law-and-order situation, Kumar said.
“For me, the number of hours the festival continued is not the priority. Our focus is on ensuring that the festival passes off peacefully. The safety of Ganesh devotees was our top priority,” Kumar said.
Lakhs of devotees gathered in central Pune during the immersion procession, while the metro service further increased the number of people arriving in the city centre.
“Due to the metro, the number of citizens in central Pune increased significantly. As many as 6 lakh people travelled by metro in a single day. While the metro provided citizens with an alternative mode of transportation, the large number of people arriving in central Pune posed a major challenge for crowd management,” Kumar said.
He said the police had made extensive arrangements to regulate the crowds and prevent any situation such as a stampede.
“However, through proper planning and security arrangements, the situation was kept under control,” the Commissioner said.
Kumar also credited the cooperation extended by Ganesh mandal office-bearers and workers for the smooth conduct of the immersion procession.
“Office-bearers and workers of Ganesh mandals extended good cooperation to the police. Coordination between the police and Ganesh mandals helped ensure that the immersion procession proceeded smoothly,” he said.
Despite the massive crowds and traffic-management challenges, 33 ambulances passed through Tilak Chowk during the immersion procession, Kumar said.
He added that special arrangements had been made to ensure that emergency services were not obstructed during the festival.
The Commissioner further said Pune residents expressed satisfaction with the police arrangements during Ganeshotsav and praised the Pune Municipal Corporation administration for providing necessary facilities to devotees on time.
The immersion procession witnessed the participation of around 650 Ganesh mandals, with processions moving through Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road and Kelkar Road towards the Tilak Chowk Junction.
The Pune Police had deployed extensive personnel and implemented crowd-management measures across central Pune during the festival, particularly on the immersion day when lakhs of devotees converged on the city’s core areas. (ANI)
Pune’s Ganeshotsav immersion procession concludes after 36 hours, 650 mandals participate
