Koregaon Bhima battle anniversary: Traffic changes notified on Pune–Ahilyanagar highway, key connecting roads

The Pune City Traffic Police, Pune Rural Police and Pimpri Chinchwad Police have announced traffic diversions and road closures on the Pune–Ahilyanagar Highway and other key connecting roads ahead of the Koregaon Bhima battle anniversary on January 1.

Various ceremonies and gatherings will be held at the Koregaon Bhima Jaystambh at Perne village near Pune to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. The traffic changes will be in force for 24 hours on December 31 and January 1.

Constructed by the British government in 1821 in memory of its soldiers who fought against the Peshwas at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818, the Jaystambh is located at Perne village on the Pune–Ahilyanagar highway. The district administration, police and other agencies have held several coordination meetings for the event, which is expected to draw lakhs of visitors.

Pune City Police, Pimpri Chinchwad Police and Pune Rural Police, in coordination with other agencies, have prepared a detailed deployment and traffic management plan for the event.

The police clarified that the diversions will not apply to vehicles carrying people attending the event at Perne village, or to vehicles providing emergency and essential services.

Entry of all types of vehicles will be closed on the Nagar Road–Kharadi Bypass–Wagholi–Lonikand–Theur Phata–Tulapur Phata–Bhima Koregaon–Perne village (Bhima River bridge) stretch up to the Pune Police Commissionerate limits.

Similar restrictions will be enforced from the Markal River bridge to Tulapur Phata on the Wagholi–Kesnand Phata–Kesnand village–Magar Vasti–Khandoba Mal–Lonikand (Theur Phata) route. Restrictions will also apply on the Solapur Road stretch covering Theur Phata, Theur village, Kolwadi, Kesnand village, Magar Vasti, Khandoba Mal and Lonikand.

The Markal bridge on the Indrayani River along the Markal–Tulapur road has been closed to heavy vehicles. Only authorised light four-wheelers will be allowed. Buses, tempos and other vehicles have been advised to use the Wagholi–Shikrapur route in advance.

Essential service vehicles, including fire brigade vehicles, police vehicles, ambulances, PMPML buses, authorised vehicles transporting devotees, and vehicles of local residents, are exempted from these restrictions.

Traffic of all types moving in both directions—from Chakan to Shikrapur and from Shikrapur to Chakan—will be completely closed.

Heavy vehicles coming from Ahilyanagar towards Pune–Mumbai will be diverted via Shirur, Nhavra Phata, Nhavra, Pargaon, Chaufula, Yavat and Hadapsar towards Pune.

Heavy vehicles travelling from Pune towards Ahilyanagar will be diverted from the Kharadi Bypass via Hadapsar, then along the Pune–Solapur Highway through Chaufula and Kedgaon, and further via Nhavra on the Shirur–Ahilyanagar route.

Heavy vehicles, trucks, tempos and other goods transport vehicles moving from the Solapur Highway towards Alandi and Chakan will be diverted via Hadapsar, Magarpatta, the Kharadi Bypass and Vishrantwadi to Alandi and Chakan.

Light vehicles such as cars and jeeps travelling from Mumbai to Ahilyanagar will use the Vadgaon Maval–Chakan–Khed–Pabal–Shirur route.

Vehicles carrying followers from Mumbai and Thane will be diverted from the Mumbai–Pune Expressway via Dehu Road, Nigdi, Charholi, Alandi, Markal and Tulapur Phata (Lonikand).

All types of vehicles travelling from Mumbai towards Ahilyanagar, including heavy vehicles and goods transport vehicles such as tempos and trucks, will be diverted via Vadgaon Maval–HP Chowk Mhalunge–Vasoli Phata or through the Waghjai Nagar route via Biradvadi village, Rohakal Phata, Pune–Nashik Road, Khed, Manchar, Narayangaon and Alephata.

Private light vehicles will travel from Vadgaon Maval via the Talegaon–Chakan Road, Chakan Chowk, Khed, Pabal and Shirur to reach Ahilyanagar.

All private vehicles reaching Rasika Hotel Chowk via Alandi, Koyali and similar routes will be prohibited from proceeding towards Shikrapur and will instead be diverted via the Chakan route.

Heavy and oversized vehicles coming from Mumbai via the old Mumbai–Pune Highway through Central Chowk, Dehu Road, towards the Nigdi–Pimpri Chinchwad area will be prohibited. Traffic on this route will be diverted from Central Chowk to the Mumbai–Bengaluru Highway and routed via Wakad Naka and Chandni Chowk.