Pune: Traffic Snarls On Shivaji And Bajirao Roads As Crowds Visit Dagdusheth Temple
Pune, 1st January 2025: On the first day of the new year, devotees flocked to the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir for darshan. A large number of people from the city, suburbs, and surrounding areas visited the temple, resulting in significant traffic congestion on Shivaji Road, Bajirao Road, and nearby streets. Many Pune residents consider it auspicious to begin their new year with a holy darshan of Shrimant Dagdusheth, regarded as the city’s deity.
The influx of devotees caused traffic jams on Chhatrapati Shivaji Road, Laxmi Road, Bajirao Road, and Kelkar Road. Hutatma Chowk, located between Appa Balwant Chowk and Budhwar Chowk, was closed to traffic, further disrupting movement on Bajirao Road. Cars parked along the riverbed road created long queues, and indiscriminate parking of two-wheelers in narrow alleys added to the traffic woes. The crowd of devotees continued into the night, prompting the traffic police to deploy additional personnel to manage the situation in the Shivaji Road area.
The Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Public Ganapati Trust and Suvarnayug Tarun Mandal adorned the temple premises with vibrant decorations, including colourful steps and floral arrangements, to mark the occasion. Religious programs were conducted throughout the day, attracting devotees not only to Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple but also to other temples in the city, including the Shri Siddhivinayak Ganesh Mandir in Sarasbaug.
