Pune is gearing up for Ganeshotsav, which begins on Wednesday (September 27). Ahead of the grand celebrations, key changes have been announced that residents and visitors must be aware of, ranging from traffic diversions in central areas to special parking arrangements, management of Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) buses and metro services, as well as police deployment. Here's a detailed guide.
Traffic diversions from September 27 to October 6
1. Shivaji Road - Vehicular traffic will be closed from Gadital Putla Chowk to Gotiram Bhaiyya Chowk.
Alternative Routes:
1. Left from Gadital Putla Chowk - Santaji Ghorpade Path - Kumbharves Chowk - Sahir Amar Shaikh Chowk.
2. From Shivajinagar via Jangali Maharaj Road towards Swargate, vehicles should turn left at SG Barve Chowk.
3. Khude Chowk - Mangla Talkies - Kumbharves Chowk OR Premier Garage Chowk - Shivaji Bridge - Gadital Putla Chowk - Kumbharves Chowk.
2. Savarkar Putla Chowk to Samadhan Bhel Centre (Sinhgad Road - No Parking)
Parking Arrangements:
1. Mitramandal Chowk to Patil Plaza
2. Jamnalal Bajaj Putla to Puram Chowk on left hand side of the road
3. Neelayam Bridge to Sinhgad Road junction
3. Keshavnagar, Mundhwa
On August 27, from 6am to midnight, traffic will be diverted.
Alternative Routes:
1. Vehicles going towards Manjari Road from Chhatrpati Shivaji Maharaj Road, Keshavnagar, should use the Gairan Vasti Road - Renuka Mata Mandir - Manjari Road.
2. Vehicles travelling from Gairan Vasti to Mundhwa Chowk should take Renuka Mata - Venkatesh Graphics - Manjari Road - Mundhwa Chowk.
Roads closed for traffic:
1. From Phadke Houd Chowk to Jijamata Chowk to Futka Buruj.
2. From Appa Balwant Chowk to Budhwar Chowk to Moti Chowk.
3. From Mangla Talkies to Premier Garage Lane to Kumbharves.
Parking Arrangements:
Special parking arrangements for vehicles carrying Ganesh idols for shopping/transport have been made:
1. Kamgar Putala Chowk to Shivaji Putala.
2. PMC Bill Centre to Gadital Putala Chowk.
3. Tilak Bridge to Bhide Bridge.
4. Mandai's Minerva and Aryan Parking Centre.
5. Shahu Chowk to Rashtrabhushan Chowk.
PMPML bus diversion:
1. From Shivajinagar Stand to Swargate: Buses should go via SG Barve Chowk – Shivajinagar Police Ground – Jangali Maharaj Road – Tilak Chowk – Swargate.
2. From PMC Bus Stand to Swargate: Buses should go via Jangali Maharaj Road – Alka Talkies Chowk – Tilak Road – Shastri Road – Swargate.
Ban on heavy vehicles on the following roads:
1. Shastri Road - Senadatta Chowk to Alka Chowk.
2. Tilak Road - Jedhe Chowk to Alka Chowk.
3. Kumthekar Road - Shanipar to Alka Chowk.
4. Laxmi Road – Sant Kabir Chowk to Alka Chowk.
5. Kelkar Road – Phutka Buruj to Alka Chowk.
6. Bajirao Road – Puram Chowk to Gadgil Putla.
7. Shivaji Road – Gadgil Putla to Jedhe Chowk.
8. Karve Road - Nal Stop to Khandojibaba Chowk.
9. Fergusson College Road – Khandojibaba Chowk to Veer Chaphekar Chowk.
10. Jangali Maharaj Road - SG Barve Chowk to Khandojibaba Chowk.
11. Sinhgad Road – Rajaram Bridge to Savarkar Chowk.
12. Ganeshkhind Road - Powerhouse - Daruvala - Jijamata Chowk - Phutka Buruj Chowk.
Pune Metro:
Pune Metro has announced extended service hours to facilitate smooth travel for devotees and visitors during Ganeshotsav and to ease traffic congestion.
Metro Service Schedule During Ganeshotsav 2025:
August 27–29: 6am to 11pm (regular schedule)
August 30–September 5: 6am to 2am
September 6–7 (Anant Chaturdashi): 6am (Sept 6) to 11pm (Sept 7) — continuous 41-hour service
From September 8, 2025, metro services will revert to the regular schedule.
11 dedicated police teams for Ganeshotsav
To ensure a smooth and safe celebration, 11 dedicated teams have been formed to inspect and resolve civic issues such as potholes, faulty streetlights, non-functional CCTV cameras and other arrangements along procession routes, Krushikesh Rawale, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 1, told The Free Press Journal.
“Potholes are one of the major causes of slow traffic and traffic jams in the city. However, to curb the issue under this initiative, police teams of Zone 1 are visiting different areas, identifying problems, clicking photographs, and coordinating with ward officers of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for immediate action. For example, the road repair team has already flagged several potholes, following which repairs have been carried out," he said.
Moreover, Rawale added that the jurisdiction experiences a heavy footfall during the festival, making it essential to maintain roads, patch potholes, repair streetlights, and ensure that CCTV cameras are functional. “The idea is to provide convenience to mandals and devotees, and ensure smooth traffic management during the processions,” he said.
A special workforce of around 100 officials has been deployed to conduct surveys of roads, lights, and other civic requirements. The drive is being carried out under the guidance of PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram and Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, with close coordination between both departments. He assured that all preparations will be completed before the festival begins.
