Pune Ganpati Visarjan: Procession to Begin an Hour Earlier This Year

The police administration has made special arrangements to ensure this year's immersion procession in Pune city is completed on time. This year, the procession will start an hour earlier than usual, at 9:30 AM on Saturday (6th). Last year, the procession began at 10:30 AM. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar provided this information at a press conference. Senior officials were also present at the time. The respected mandals have also agreed to this arrangement, expressing confidence that the immersion will be completed on time.

The first honored Kasba Ganpati will arrive at Tilak Statue, Mandai at 9:30 AM and proceed towards Belbagh Chowk. Following that, the second honored Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganpati at 10:30 AM, the third honored Guruji Talim Ganpati at 11 AM, and the fourth honored Tulshibaug and fifth Kesariwada Ganpati will cross Belbagh Chowk by 12 PM and move forward. Thus, by afternoon, all the honored Ganpatis will proceed on Laxmi Road, as planned.

The electric lighting groups will participate in the procession after seven in the evening. At this time, the groups coming from Laxmi Road and Shivaji Road will be allowed entry only through Belbagh Chowk. Notably, no other group will enter that square until Kasba Ganpati crosses Alka Talkies Chowk. This will ensure that the procession is conducted in an orderly and planned manner, it has been clarified.

The police have also imposed some conditions. There is a ban on playing musical instruments between Tilak Statue and Belbagh Chowk, and the playing can only start from Belbagh Chowk. Additionally, instructions have been given not to leave a gap between two groups, not to enter without following the queue, and not to perform stationary playing. Each group is allowed only two drum and tasha teams, with a maximum of 60 members in one team.

In addition, each group will be allowed to use only one of either a DJ or a dhol-tasha troupe. It has also been ordered that members of the dhol-tasha troupe should not take the return route in the opposite direction after the procession ends.