Pune : Huge rush of tourists in Lonavala on Independence Day 

By: Pune Pulse

August 17, 2023

PUNE: On Tuesday, the Lonavala and Khandala regions experienced a significant influx of tourists due to the coinciding holidays with Independence Day. In the Bhushi dam area, there was a lot of commotion. The rural police had taken extensive security measures to handle the peak crowd.

Every year on Independence Day, the Lonavala and Khandala areas attract tourists from various parts of the state, including Mumbai and Pune. The arrival of a large number of tourists in cars disrupts the traffic on the Lonavala, Khandala, and expressways. To ensure a smooth flow of both crowd and traffic, Home Guard personnel, traffic volunteers, and the police were deployed. 

Despite the high number of visitors, there were no untoward incidents or congestion. To manage the crowd, security was stationed at the Sahara Bridge area. Many tourists arrived at the Lonavala station area through local trains from Pune. The road from Lonavala railway station to Bhushi dam was crowded with tourists, but the police instructed them to walk in queues, avoiding any congestion in the area. 

Due to several days of no rainfall, the waterfall in front of the Sahara Bridge had dried up. Tourists flocked to the Bhushi dam area, making it challenging to navigate through. The water flowing from the steps of the Bhushi dam had receded, which caused excitement among the tourists. The Lions Point area had fewer tourists, but it remained foggy throughout the day. There was also a rush of visitors from Ekveera Temple to the Bhaje Waterfall area. The Lohagad Fort, Visapur Fort, Bhaje Caves, Karla Caves, Pavana Dam area, and Rajmachi Garden area were all crowded by tourists.

Madhupriya Dhanwate