People from all walks of life made a beeline to tourist destinations near Pune like Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, and the adjacent areas.
Tourists flocked to ancient temple in old Mahabaleshwar, various points, Venna Lake, strawberry fields, market area and the table land in Panchgani, and Sahyadri Boating Club.
The region, known as the Kashmir of Maharashtra, attracts tourists not only from major cities in Maharashtra but also from across the country. The scenic beauty and various attractions, such as boat rides, horse riding, food contribute to the area's popularity.
However, the increasing tourist influx calls for improved infrastructure to prevent traffic congestion and enhance the overall experience.
However, while speaking with the FPJ, one tourist noed that the government's attention is needed to provide basic facilities and transform the places into a more tourist-friendly destination.
As the week ends, the MSRTC buses were packed with tourists going back home on Sunday.
Frozen Dew
Meanwhile, if the temperature continues to drop further in the coming days, the city is expected to showcase a similar wintry view as observed in 2017.Mahabaleshwar, situated approximately 120km from Pune in the Western Ghat ranges in Satara district, were treated to an unusual spectacle as frozen dew drops blanketed the popular hill station.
Meteorologists attribute this phenomenon to a dew-point temperature of -1.6 degrees Celsius around the Venna lake and Lingmala sites in the hill station.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had later clarified that this occurrence is distinct from actual snowfall witnessed in the higher ridges of northern states like Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Mahabaleshwar's temperature is relatively warm for snowfall compared to these northern regions.
A senior IMD official in Pune had stated, "Various locations across the hill station may have worn a snowy look because of the frozen dew."
