Wari palkhi procession begins amid heavy rain in Pune, irrigation department sounds warning about Indrayani river flooding
Pune and its surrounding areas witnessed heavy rain over the last 24 hours as the annual Wari pilgrimage in Maharashtra began Wednesday. The irrigation department has issued a warning Thursday about the release of water from the Jadhavwadi irrigation pond into the Indrayani river, which will cause water levels to rise in the temple towns of Dehu and Alandi in the Pune district.
Devotees undertake the palkhi (palanquin) procession to Pandharpur, the temple town in the Solapur district dedicated to Lord Vitthal, from Dehu and Alandi. The Sant Tukaram Maharaj palkhi procession began from Dehu Wednesday and the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj palkhi procession began from Alandi Thursday.
The irrigation department has announced that the Jadhavwadi water tank is nearly 97 per cent full, and water will begin to discharge from the tank into the Indrayani river. As the river flows through the temple towns of Dehu, Alandi, and Tulapur, district authorities have warned people to stay away from the riverbed and to ensure that boats are securely tied. Many devotees, as part of the Wari pilgrimage, have gathered in the temple towns, and people are advised not to venture into the river.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that the hill station of Lonavala reported 187 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours. Similarly, Kurvande (219 mm), Girivian (160 mm), Shivajinagar (31.5 mm), Talegaon (65.5 mm), Chinchwad (60.5 mm) and Pashan (33 mm) have all reported considerable rainfall. Pune and its surrounding areas are expected to experience continuous rain over the next 24 hours, according to the IMD. Localised flooding, traffic congestion, and falling tree branches are anticipated in many areas.
Last week, four people were killed in a bridge collapse near Kundamala, a popular tourist site in the Pune district. The iron bridge in Kundamala, located in Maval taluka, gave way under the weight of several tourists who had gathered on it, causing many to fall into the Indrayani River, which had swelled due to days of heavy rain. In response, the district collector issued prohibitory orders advising people to stay away from water bodies.
The monsoon, which had entered a lull phase, has become active across Pune. Currently, the northern limit of the monsoon extends across Barmer, Jodhpur, and other cities in northern India. The monsoon has fully covered Gujarat, parts of Rajasthan, and most areas of central India, including Maharashtra.
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