Pune: Pune Police have deployed more than 10,000 personnel and strengthened their technology-based surveillance network for the full Ganpati immersion procession on September 25, with the immersion scheduled
to begin at 9.30 am. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said the arrangements include round-the-clock monitoring through thousands of cameras, AI-based video analytics, drones, mobile surveillance vehicles and a dedicated control mechanism for traffic, crowd and noise management.
A centralised monitoring system has been established at the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) at the Police Headquarters in Shivajinagar, along with a dedicated War Room at Faraskhana Police Station. More than 3,500 night-vision AI-enabled cameras installed across the city will be monitored in real time. Of these, over 400 cameras have been positioned along procession routes and at important immersion points and ghats.
The police have deployed more than 200 advanced video analytics capabilities to monitor crowds and detect unusual activities. These include people counting, crowd-density monitoring, detection of weapons and abandoned objects, violence, fire or smoke detection, facial recognition and intelligent video search. The facial-recognition system will also assist police in identifying persons matching crime records and missing persons.
Traffic enforcement will also be technology-driven during the immersion. ANPR-based systems will detect violations such as wrong-way driving, triple riding, illegal parking, footpath encroachment and overspeeding. Dedicated personnel will monitor the alerts and initiate action where required.
Police have installed IP-based public-address systems at more than 250 locations to make real-time announcements, guide crowds and issue emergency instructions. Five Mobile Surveillance Vehicles and 19 Mini Surveillance Vehicles equipped with HD cameras, AI analytics and public-address systems will provide live feeds to the central command centre.
Drone surveillance will be carried out using micro and small-category drones equipped with HD cameras and public-address systems. The drones will monitor crowds, movement, rooftops and emergency situations. At the same time, anti-drone guns have been deployed at strategic locations to detect and counter unauthorised drone activity over crowded and sensitive areas.
The surveillance network has also been expanded through integration of live feeds from Metro stations, PMC Smart City systems and CCTV cameras installed by Ganpati mandals. Police have deployed 100 wireless sets and 400 walkie-talkies for communication among field teams.
Anti-sabotage measures include 30 Door Frame Metal Detectors and 100 Hand-Held Metal Detectors at important installations, entry points, Ganpati mandals and procession routes. Around 120 calibrated noise-level meters and a fixed noise-monitoring station at Alka Chowk will be used to monitor sound levels.
GPS tracking of Ganpati mandals will provide police with real-time information about their movement and halts. The Dial-112 emergency response system will have dedicated personnel monitoring calls round the clock.
Social media platforms will also be monitored 24x7 to identify suspicious activities, threats, misinformation and other potential security concerns. Wi-Fi connectivity has been arranged at critical locations to facilitate communication among police officials and other personnel deployed for the festival.
Commissioner Kumar said the police have taken a policy decision to restrict 150 mandals from participating in the main immersion processions on the four major routes, Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road, Kelkar Road and Tilak Road, as permission had been given only to those who had been participating for the past two consecutive years.
He said dhol-tasha groups would be permitted to perform for 15 minutes at one chowk, while 112 teams have been deployed to monitor noise levels and take action against DJs crossing prescribed limits.
According to Kumar, 21 cases have been registered during the first eight days of the Ganpati celebrations for violating noise norms and other offences.
Ganpati Festival 2026: Key figures
- 4,170: Registered Ganpati mandals in Pune this year
- 6,24,685: Household Ganpati idols installed in 2026
- 3,959: Registered mandals in 2025
- 7,45,944: Household idols installed in 2025
- 211: Increase in registered mandals over last year
- 1.21 lakh: Decline in household idols compared with 2025
- 10,000+: Police personnel deployed for immersion day
- 3,500+: Night-vision AI-enabled cameras across the city
- 400+: Cameras covering procession routes and immersion points
- 9.30 am: Scheduled start of immersion on September 25
