Pune Police Bar 150 Ganesh Mandals From Main Immersion Routes

Pune: Around 150 Ganesh mandals will not be allowed to join the main immersion processions on the city's four traditional routes this year, following a decision taken by the Pune Police and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to reduce the prolonged duration of the processions.

Letters informing the mandals about the decision were issued on Saturday by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) Krushikesh Rawale. The affected mandals include those from Shivajinagar, Bibvewadi, Model Colony and other parts of the city.

The four routes, Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road, Kelkar Road and Tilak Road, are used by around 900 mandals during the main immersion procession. Police said the addition of more mandals over the years has contributed to congestion and significant delays in completing the immersion process.

The 150 mandals had been granted temporary permission to participate in the main procession for two years. However, police have now decided not to extend the arrangement.

Rawale said immersion processions have stretched to nearly 30 to 34 hours in recent years due to the large number of participating mandals. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting involving senior police officials and PMC authorities, with the aim of reducing the duration of the procession and easing arrangements in the central parts of the city.

The decision has drawn opposition from several affected mandals. Representatives of some of them said they may immerse their idols in the river near the PMC building without taking part in a procession, as a mark of protest.

The number of registered Ganesh mandals in Pune has also increased this year. The city has 4,170 mandals, compared with 3,959 last year.

Ganeshotsav 2026

Ganesh mandals in Pune this year - 4,170

Ganesh mandals last year - 3,959

Mandals barred from 4 main immersion routes -150

Mandals participating on 4 main routes - 900+

Main immersion routes - 4

Duration of immersion processions in recent years - 30–34 hours

Routes affected -Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road, Kelkar Road & Tilak Road