Pune: As the Ganesh Festival approaches, Pune's police department is taking proactive steps to ensure smooth traffic flow and prevent congestion. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar announced plans to inspect busy roads and coordinate with the municipal corporation to repair potholes.

A meeting with the officials of various Ganesh Mandals was held on Monday at the Shivajinagar Police Headquarters in preparation for the upcoming Ganesh Festival.

The meeting was chaired by Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar and was attended by around 600 representatives from different mandals, along with Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjankumar Sharma, Additional Commissioners Pravin Patil, Manoj Patil, and Shailesh Balkawade.

To prevent congestion during the festival, the police will make comprehensive plans. Since metro construction is ongoing in the city, it has been instructed that development work should proceed at a slower pace during the festival to avoid traffic congestion.

The responsibility of traffic planning has been assigned to Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil. Inspections of crowded routes will be conducted, and coordination with the municipal corporation has been established to fill potholes, as stated by Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar.

It is important to ensure that traffic is not obstructed by festival pandals. Many mandals celebrate the festival without collecting donations, and they receive funds through advertising arches. Some mandals rent temporary stalls. Care should be taken to ensure that these stalls and arches do not obstruct traffic, Kumar noted.

Single-Window System for New Mandals' Registration

Mandals that already have permits do not need to renew them, as permits have been issued for five years. A single-window system has been established for mandals without permits, Commissioner Kumar mentioned, urging mandals to report any issues they face.

Area-Wise Meetings for Immersion Processions

Pune's immersion processions have a grand tradition. To ensure that the processions finish on time, discussions will be held with mandal workers. Area-wise meetings will be organized, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar informed.

Demand to Close Liquor Shops for Ten Days

During the meeting held at the police headquarters, mandal workers requested that liquor shops be closed during the festival period. The police have initiated actions against drug traffickers, and Commissioner Kumar urged mandal workers to cooperate with the police by providing information about drug sales.