8 Ashtavinayak temple darshan yatra accessible in a single day: PWD reduces travel time

In a significant development, the Public Works Department (PWD) has announced that it is now possible to visit all Ashtavinayak temples in Maharashtra within a single day. Previously, the journey required 48 hours for darshan by four-wheeler, but the PWD claims to have reduced this time by half.

The completion of road works connecting the Ashtavinayak temples has contributed to this achievement, with the removal of disruptions and obstacles along the routes. Among the eight temples, five are located in Pune district (Morgaon, Theur, Ranjangaon, Ozar, and Lenyadri), while Siddhatek Nagar, Mahad, and Pali temples are situated in Raigad district.

The initiative by the PWD aimed to enhance the comfort and reduce the travel time for devotees and tourists visiting these sacred sites. According to PWD Superintendent Engineer Bappa Bahir, a comprehensive program was undertaken to connect the roads to the Ashtavinayak temples. This involved the development and connection of 252 km of roads, with a total expenditure of 900 crores sanctioned by the state government.

The roadworks included repair, widening, and strengthening of the routes, and were executed by a private company through a tender process. Notably, the entire route of Ashtavinayaka temples spans 654 km, with the PWD focusing on enhancing connectivity over a significant portion of this network.

Bahir highlighted that with the completion of these roadworks, the previous two-day duration required for the darshan of Ashtavinayak Ganesha has been halved, enabling devotees to complete the journey in just 24 hours. This achievement is expected to facilitate increased accessibility and pilgrimage to these revered temples, drawing devotees from across the state and country.