150 Ganapati Mandals Denied Permission To Join Pune’s Main Immersion Procession Amid Concerns Over Duration, Strain on Security and Traffic
Pune, 21st September 2026: At least 150 Ganapati mandals have been denied permission to participate in Pune’s main immersion procession this year, with police citing the growing duration of the procession and the strain on security and traffic arrangements. The mandals, which include those from Shivajinagar, Bibvewadi and Model Colony, received letters from Pune police on Saturday denying them permission to join the processions on Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road, Kelkar Road and Tilak Road.
The 150 mandals had been given temporary permission to participate in the main procession for the past two years. They joined around 900 other mandals on the four designated routes, contributing to the volume of participants and, at times, delaying the immersion process by several hours, a senior police officer said.
Members of some of the affected mandals said they were unhappy with the decision and were considering immersing their idols in the river near the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) without taking part in the main procession as a mark of protest.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Krushikesh Rawale has sent letters to the concerned mandals informing them that permission to participate in the main procession has been denied.
The police decision has led to resentment among several mandals. Office-bearers claimed that Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar had told a meeting that eligible mandals would be issued passes as in previous years. They also said the police had indicated that some mandals could be allowed to join the procession through Fergusson Road at night.
The subsequent denial of permission has therefore caused confusion among the mandals. Those affected have decided to hold a joint meeting and are preparing to raise their concerns with the administration through democratic means.
The main immersion procession passes through four major routes — Laxmi Road, Tilak Road, Kumthekar Road and Kelkar Road. In 2022, 608 mandals participated on these routes. The number rose to 1,015 in 2023, increasing the challenge of managing crowds and traffic.
The city now has around 4,170 public Ganapati mandals. Police officials said the increasing number of mandals joining the four main routes has contributed to the lengthening of the immersion processions.
The procession took around 31 hours in 2022, 30 hours and 25 minutes in 2023 and 28 hours and 45 minutes in 2024. In 2025, the duration increased to 32 hours and 26 minutes, while the overall immersion process continued for around 34 hours.
The prolonged procession means that police personnel have to remain deployed from late night until the following afternoon. Around 7,000 police personnel were deployed for Ganeshotsav security in 2025.
Police personnel have to manage crowds, regulate traffic, facilitate the movement of mandals and ensure the safety of women and citizens while maintaining law and order along the procession routes for several consecutive hours.
The extended procession also disrupts traffic and daily life in the city. Major roads, including Laxmi Road, Tilak Road, Kumthekar Road and Kelkar Road, remain closed for long periods, affecting commuters travelling to work the next day, students, traders, ambulances and public transport services.
The Pune Municipal Corporation had deployed an additional 250 workers in 2025 to clear garbage along the procession routes.
Police officials said the decision to restrict the participation of the 150 mandals was taken against the backdrop of the increasing duration of the immersion procession and the pressure it puts on security and traffic arrangements.
