• Source:JND
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Pune Dahi Handi Celebration: On the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami, Dahi Handi will be celebrated across Pune, with the city preparing for a surge of activity and large gatherings, particularly in the central areas. To ensure the smooth flow of peak-hour traffic during the celebrations on Tuesday evening, the Pune City Traffic Police have announced a series of traffic diversions.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Amol Zende, has issued an order stating that from 5 pm onwards on Tuesday, once the Dahi Handi festivities commence in the central parts of Pune, diversions will be enforced. These diversions will remain in place until the respective handis are broken, local mandals wrap up their programmes and the roads are cleared for regular traffic.

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Pune Dahi Handi Celebration: Traffic diversions

Vehicles travelling from Shivaji Road to Swargate will be diverted via SG Barve Chowk, Jangli Maharaj Road, Khandoji Baba Chowk and then either Tilak Road or Shastri Road.

Vehicles from Bajirao Road to Shivajinagar via Puram Chowk will be diverted via Tilak Road and Fergusson College Road. Commuters can also travel to Senadatt Chowk from Puram Chowk.

To reach the Pune Municipal Corporation from SG Barve Chowk, vehicles will have to take the Jangali Maharaj Road route and take a left from Jhansi Chi Rani Chowk.

One-way traffic will be implemented from Budhwar Chowk to Appa Balwant Chowk.

Traffic will not be allowed from Rameshwar Chowk to Shanipar and commuters will be asked to take alternate routes.

The traffic route from Sonya Maruti Chowk to Seva Sadan Chowk via Laxmi Road will be put on hold and vehicles will be diverted from Sonya Maruti Chowk towards Phadke Haud.

Traffic from Shivaji Road going towards Ganesh Road via Jijamata Chowk and then to Daruwala Bridge will be diverted via Gadgil Statue, Kumbharves Chowk, Pawale Chowk, and Old Sat Toti Police Chowki.

Traffic on Ganesh Road will be closed from Daruwala Bridge and vehicles that need to travel to Devjibaba Chowk and Phadke Haud will be diverted via Apollo Talkies, Narpatgiri Chowk, Daruwala Bridge, and Doodh Bhatti.

In addition to these specific diversions, the traffic police have stated that additional diversions may be implemented in other parts of the city if necessary and commuters will be guided locally to take alternate routes.

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Veer Gogadev Utsav Procession Route

Alongside the Dahi Handi celebrations, the city will also witness the main procession for the Veer Gogadev Utsav, which will commence at 4 pm on Tuesday from New Modikhana in Pune Camp. The procession will pass through various landmarks, including Pulgate Police Chowky, Medhi Mata Mandir, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Qureshi Masjid, Centre Street, Bhopale Chowk, Centre Street Chowky, Mahavir Chowk and Kohinoor Hotel Chowk, before returning to Medhi Mata Mandir. Traffic diversions will be in place from 4 pm onwards until the procession is over.

Dahi Handi, a popular festival celebrated in various parts of the country, especially in Maharashtra, follows the celebration of Janmashtami, which marks the birth of Lord Krishna. The central feature of the Dahi Handi festival involves the hanging of clay pots filled with milk, butter, curd, sweets, and other items at a certain height. Groups then form human pyramids to break these pots, symbolising Lord Krishna's favourite childhood activity.