Navratri is here, and in celebration of this vibrant festival, the Pune city traffic police have announced road closures and changes to traffic routes, which will be in effect from October 3 to 12 for the nine-day festival.
These changes mainly affect the areas around the Chatushrungi Temple, Bhavani Mata Temple, and Tambdi Jogeshwari Temple, which draw large crowds of devotees. The police anticipate that there will still be traffic congestion during busy times, even with these adjustments in place.
Vehicles will be prohibited from traveling from Appa Balwant Chowk to Bhudhwar Chowk, and an alternative route has been set up via Gadital Putala and Shivaji Road. However, one-way traffic will be allowed from Bhudhwar Chowk to Appa Balwant Chowk. Additionally, the road from Ramoshi Gate Chowk to Old Motor Stand on Mahatma Phule Road will be closed to traffic and designated as a no-parking area.
Alternate routes have been designated through AD Camp Chowk and Bhagwan Bahubali Chowk. The PMPML bus route from Ramoshi Gate has been redirected to pass through Seven Loves Chowk and Golibar Maidan. For the no-parking area established on Mahatma Phule Road, alternative parking spaces have been allocated on Pandit Nehru Road. Vehicles will now be permitted to enter from Ganpati Chowk to Tambdi Jogeshwari Temple, with an alternate route set via Sevasadan Chowk and Shaniwar Wada. No-parking zones have been established around Tambdi Jogeshwari Temple, Ashtabhuja Devi Mandir, and Ashtabhuja Durga Mandir.
As a significant number of devotees are anticipated at Chatushrungi Temple on Senapati Bapat Road, the following traffic adjustments will be made as necessary: Traffic from Patrakar Nagar Chowk to Senapati Bapat Junction will be redirected and allowed to flow one way via Shivaji Housing Junction. Additionally, traffic heading towards Chatushrungi Temple will be diverted through Vetalbaba Chowk and Deep Bangla Chowk.
Vehicles traveling from Veer Chapekar Chowk to Chatushrungi Temple can use the route via Suryamukhi Datta Mandir Chowk and Sanganna Dhotre Path to access the Polytechnic parking gate.
On 4th October, from 5 AM to 7 AM, there will be a Sri Suktam and Ganapati Atharvasirsha recitation program at Shri Mahalaxmi Mandir, Sarasbaug. Due to this event, the following traffic changes will be in effect:
- 1) Traffic coming from Jedhe Chowk will not be allowed entry from the Statue of Jamnalal Bajaj to Veer Savarkar Chowk on Bajirao Road. These vehicles should instead proceed from the Statue of Jamnalal Bajaj toward Puram Chowk.
- 2) Vehicles coming from Mitra Mandal Chowk will be diverted and will not be allowed to go to Puram Chowk from Veer Savarkar Chowk. They will need to take the route via the Sinhagad Road junction.
- 3) Vehicles coming from Sinhagad Road will also not be permitted to proceed from Veer Savarkar Chowk to Puram Chowk. They should reach their destination via Mitra Mandal Chowk and Volga Chowk.
DCP Amol Zende has requested that citizens and vehicle drivers comply with these traffic changes and utilize the designated alternate routes to minimize congestion during the event.
