Pune: Faraskhana, Vishrambaug Police Stations May Shift to Make Way for Dagdusheth Temple Expansion

Pune, 13th August 2026: The Pune Police Commissioner has issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the state Home Department regarding a proposal to hand over the building housing the Faraskhana and Vishrambaug police stations to the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Trust for expansion of the temple premises.

The NOC was sent to the Home Department this week. According to the police, the ground-plus-three-storey building is located adjacent to the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati temple, and the trust has sought additional space to improve facilities for devotees.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said the police would vacate the premises if directed by the Home Department, but only after an alternative facility is constructed.

“If the Home Department asks us to vacate the building housing the Faraskhana and Vishrambaug police stations, we will hand it over to the temple trust after a new building is constructed near the Mandai Metro station,” Kumar said.

The existing building accommodates more than just the two police stations. It also houses the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I), the Additional Commissioner of Police and the traffic police.

As part of the relocation plan, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has a 751-square-metre plot near the Mandai Metro station where a new police facility could be developed. The site has a permissible floor space index (FSI) of 3.5, according to police officials.

The police said the proposed building could be constructed either by the Maharashtra State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation Limited or by the temple trust on the PMC-owned plot. Once completed, the police stations and other offices currently operating from the existing premises would be shifted to the new facility.
The current building was constructed in 1976 and occupies around 863.7 square metres, with a total built-up area of approximately 22,000 square feet. Police officials said the ageing structure has limitations and cannot be upgraded with modern facilities such as elevators.

Vishrambaug Police Station’s Historic Legacy
Vishrambaug is among Pune’s oldest police stations. It began functioning during the British era and was initially located at Vishrambaug Wada. The police station was shifted to its present premises in 1976.

Dagdusheth Temple Expansion
The Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati temple was originally located on Shivaji Road near Mazoor Adda. The site where the temple currently stands was previously occupied by a fire brigade station.

The fire brigade facility was shifted to a location near the Gadgil statue, close to Shaniwarwada, in the early 2000s. The land subsequently became part of the temple premises and was used for its expansion.

The latest proposal could further expand the temple complex, but the police’s relocation would depend on the construction and completion of the proposed new facility near Mandai Metro station and directions from the state Home Department.