Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Calls for Swift Action to Ensure Facilities for Warkari Devotees

— Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar

Review Meeting on Preparations for the Palkhi Ceremony Held in Presence of Deputy CM

Pune, June 14: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has directed that comprehensive care be taken to ensure Warkaris do not face any inconvenience during the upcoming Ashadhi Palkhi ceremony. He emphasized that essential facilities must be made available at the palkhi base, halting points, and throughout the entire palkhi route. He further assured that the government will allocate all necessary funds for the smooth conduct of the event.

He was addressing a review meeting on the preparations for the Shri Kshetra Dehu and Shri Kshetra Alandi Palkhi Ceremony – 2025, held at Vidhan Bhavan, Pune. The meeting was attended by Divisional Commissioner Dr. Chandrakant Pulkundwar, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissioner Vinay Kumar Choubey, Special Inspector General of Police (Kolhapur Range) Sunil Phulari, PMC Commissioner Navalkishore Ram, PCMC Commissioner Shekhar Singh, PMRDA Commissioner Dr. Yogesh Mhase, along with District Collectors of Pune, Satara and Solapur, Zilla Parishad CEOs, and senior police officials.

Deputy CM Pawar instructed that arrangements must be made for adequate resting and accommodation facilities, especially in light of possible rainfall. He stressed that access to the palkhi must remain uninterrupted even if heavy rains occur in Diveghat. Citizens should be restricted from watching the palkhi procession in ghat areas for safety. Due to ongoing excavation near the mountainside, proper barricading should be erected to prevent rocks from falling onto the road and endangering the Warkaris.

He also highlighted the need to resolve the traffic congestion on the old Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi route towards Baramati at Undawadi Kadepathar, calling for immediate pothole repairs. The roadworks on the Indapur-bound Palkhi highway and between Indapur and Pandharpur must be fast-tracked, with strict safety measures enforced until the palkhi has passed. Construction debris from the PMRDA metro project must also be cleared without delay.

Mahavitaran has been instructed to deploy alert teams of officers and staff along the palkhi route. The Zilla Parishads and local municipalities must initiate prompt cleaning of the route and village areas following the ceremony. Generators should be arranged at halting points by the respective Zilla Parishads, and if needed, additional funds will be provided through the District Planning Committee, he said.

To mitigate risks posed by storms, unauthorized billboards along the route should be dismantled immediately. Revenue, police, and local self-government authorities are to conduct joint inspections, and a structural audit must be performed on all authorized hoardings to ensure their safety.

In view of post-COVID health concerns, Deputy CM Pawar urged coordination with Palkhi ceremony heads and Dindi leaders to ensure Warkaris experiencing symptoms like cold, fever, or cough undergo mandatory testing before joining. He directed that medical teams with essential medicines and testing kits be stationed along the route for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Divisional Commissioner Dr. Pulkundwar provided insights into the planning being undertaken for a clean and organized Wari. Police Commissioners Amitesh Kumar and Vinay Kumar Choubey detailed the security and traffic arrangements. District Collectors and other senior officials presented updates on the administrative preparedness for the ceremony.

At the meeting, Deputy CM Pawar also launched the ‘PTP Traffic Cop’ mobile app developed by the Pune Police Traffic Branch, as well as a Palkhi Tracking App for real-time monitoring of the palanquins. In addition, the ‘Project Wari’ digital initiative by the Pune Police Commissionerate was introduced to digitally count participating Warkaris, facilitating more accurate planning in future years.