Pune: German Hangars And Boosted Facilities For Warkaris Along Palkhi Route This Year
Pune, 12th June 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, German hangar-style shelters will be set up at 12 locations along the Palkhi route this year to protect Warkaris from monsoon rains during the Sant Tukaram Maharaj and Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj processions. The upgraded infrastructure also includes enhanced sanitation, mobile toilets, medical facilities, and access to clean drinking water.
Gajanan Patil, the Chief Executive Officer of the Pune Zilla Parishad, made the announcement during a press conference on Wednesday, ahead of the departure of the revered palkhis — Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi on 18th June and Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi on 19th June.
Additional CEO Chandrakant Waghmare, District Health Officer Dr. Sachin Desai, and Deputy CEO of the Water and Sanitation Department Appasaheb Gujar were also present.
Patil said the district administration has carefully planned facilities at all overnight halts along the route. Ongoing preparations at certain points will be completed on a priority basis. The funds allocated to village panchayats for sanitation and healthcare have been increased from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh per stop.
In a unique effort to expand toilet access, the Zilla Parishad conducted a survey of villages along the procession route. It identified 21,438 private household toilets that can be made available to Warkaris during the pilgrimage. In addition to these, public toilets in temples, community halls, hotels, and wedding venues will be accessible.
To help Warkaris easily identify these sanitation points, each toilet facility will be marked with a white flag.
The enhanced planning and resource allocation aim to ensure that devotees participating in the spiritual journey are not inconvenienced by rains or hygiene concerns, officials emphasized.
