Just like every year, lakhs of people are participating in the annual Ashadhi Wari this year as well. The palkhi processions of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj from Alandi and Sant Tukaram Maharaj from Dehu to Lord Vitthal's temple in Pandharpur have begun and are set to reach Pune today, where they will halt for a day before continuing their separate journeys to Pandharpur.
However, the Palkhis also cause severe inconvenience to commuters. To help people plan their travel, Pune Police have launched a website that tracks the real-time movement of both the Palkhis. The website, https://diversion.punepolice.gov.in/, provides the live location, route updates, estimated arrival times and important announcements throughout the pilgrimage.
The information on the website reads, "The Wari is a centuries-old pilgrimage that brings millions of devotees together in devotion to Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and Sant Tukaram Maharaj. Our live tracking platform helps devotees stay informed with real-time location updates, route information, halt points, and estimated arrival times throughout the sacred journey."
Meanwhile, this year Pune Police have put in place a comprehensive security and traffic management plan, backed by artificial intelligence and advanced surveillance technology.
To enable real-time monitoring of the procession, Pune Police have installed 12 GPS devices. Eight devices have been placed at the front and rear of the two processions, while four devices have been installed on the Palkhi chariots of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and Sant Tukaram Maharaj. The system will allow officials to track the movement of the processions, monitor route progress, estimate arrival times and assess crowd density throughout the event.
A total of 226 CCTV cameras have been installed along the Palkhi routes for round-the-clock surveillance. Of these, 101 cameras cover Sant Tukaram Maharaj's route and 125 monitor Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj's route. CCTV cameras installed on both Palkhi chariots have also been integrated with the city's Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), enabling live monitoring throughout the procession.
Police have also deployed AI-based crowd monitoring systems to analyse crowd density in real time. The system will automatically generate alerts whenever crowd levels exceed predefined safety thresholds, allowing authorities to intervene promptly and regulate the movement of devotees.
Additionally, 28 Facial Recognition System (FRS) cameras have been strategically installed along the route to help identify missing persons, missing children, senior citizens and wanted criminals. The AI-powered system compares captured faces with police databases and generates instant alerts for personnel on the ground as well as officials at the command centre.
