Pune: Rescue Teams Get Special Night-Rescue Gear Before Monsoon Trekking Season
Lonavala, 29th June 2026: Rescue teams conducting emergency operations at forts across Maharashtra have been equipped with professional-grade Petzl Tikkina headlamps, a move expected to significantly enhance the safety and efficiency of night-time rescue missions during the monsoon trekking season.
The initiative was launched after rescue volunteers highlighted the difficulties they faced while carrying out operations in rugged terrain after dark. Team members often had to rely on mobile phone flashlights to navigate while simultaneously carrying stretchers with injured trekkers, making rescue efforts both challenging and risky.
Following discussions with Umesh Naik of the Rotary Club of Pune Hillside, financial support was immediately arranged to procure the headlamps. To ensure the equipment met the operational needs of rescue teams, Sunil Gaikwad of the Shivdurg Rescue Operation Team recommended the Petzl Tikkina model.
Manufactured by France-based Petzl, a globally recognised company specialising in equipment for mountaineering, caving, work at height, and rescue operations, the Tikkina headlamp weighs just 92 grams, delivers 300 lumens of brightness, carries an IPX4 water-resistance rating, and operates on both AAA batteries and the rechargeable CORE battery system.
The procurement process was facilitated by Ram Vengurlekar, Petzl’s distributor in India. After learning about the voluntary work undertaken by the rescue teams, he agreed to supply the headlamps at a substantial discount in support of the initiative.
Although the order was placed immediately after the funds were secured, delivery was delayed due to disruptions in the international supply chain amid the Iran–US conflict. With the monsoon season approaching and trekking activity expected to increase, rescue teams were eager to receive the equipment before the peak rescue period.
The consignment finally reached Mumbai last Friday. On Saturday morning, Vengurlekar personally transported the headlamps from Mumbai to Lonavala at his own expense. The equipment was then distributed to the Shivdurg Rescue Operation Team, the Visapur Rescue Operation Team, and Guru Shendge, the caretaker of Tung Fort.
The organisers said additional rescue teams will also receive Petzl Tikkina headlamps on a pilot basis in the coming weeks, further strengthening emergency response capabilities at forts across Maharashtra during the monsoon.
The rescue teams expressed their gratitude to Umesh Naik, Ram Vengurlekar, Sunil Gaikwad, Deepak Ghorpade, and all the volunteers whose support made the initiative possible.
