Pune Palkhi Procession: AI Surveillance, Face Recognition Cameras And 7,000 Police Personnel Deployed For Security
Pune Palkhi Procession: AI Surveillance, Face Recognition Cameras And 7,000 Police Personnel Deployed For Security
Pune, July 8, 2026: The Pune Police have made extensive security arrangements for the annual Palkhi procession of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and Sant Tukaram Maharaj, which will enter the city on Thursday, July 9. Around 7,000 police personnel will be deployed, while Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered CCTV cameras, face recognition systems, and advanced video analytics will be used for the first time to enhance surveillance and crowd management.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said the security plan has also been strengthened in view of the possibility of heavy rainfall during the procession. A full-scale rehearsal of the security arrangements will be conducted on Wednesday.
The security deployment has been planned under the guidance of Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner Sanjay Darade, and Additional Commissioners Manoj Patil, Rajesh Bansode, Sanjay Patil and Tejaswi Satpute.
The Commissioner said CCTV cameras have been installed along the entire Palkhi route and at halt locations. The AI-enabled surveillance network, integrated with the Pune Police Control Room, will continuously monitor the procession, assist in crowd management and traffic regulation, and help detect suspicious activities in real time.
The Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi will enter Pune via Bopkhel, proceed through Vishrantwadi, Shivajinagar, Ganeshkhind Road, Gopal Krishna Gokhale Road and Laxmi Road, before halting at the Palkhi Vitthoba Temple in Bhavani Peth. The Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi will enter the city through the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway and halt at the Nivdungya Vitthoba Temple in Nana Peth.
To prevent incidents such as chain-snatching and mobile phone theft amid the expected rush of devotees, plainclothes police personnel will patrol the procession route. Security has also been intensified at key junctions to prevent overcrowding and stampedes. Separate queues will be arranged for men and women at the halt locations for darshan.
The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), 12 Quick Response Teams (QRTs), and police assistance centres will be stationed along the route. As in previous years, Pune Police will also provide a live location tracking link on social media to help devotees follow the movement of the Palkhi in real time.
Police officials have also held meetings with Palkhi organisers, trustees and dindi leaders to ensure the arrival and departure ceremonies are conducted smoothly.
Palkhi Security Deployment at a Glance:
- 4 Additional Commissioners of Police
- 13 Deputy Commissioners of Police
- 30 Assistant Commissioners of Police
- 182 Police Inspectors
- 570 Assistant Police Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors
- 6,552 police personnel
- 3 companies of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF)
- 1,250 Home Guards
- 12 Quick Response Teams (QRTs)
- 6 Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) teams
The Pune Police have stated that the use of advanced surveillance technology, coupled with a large security deployment, is aimed at ensuring a safe, orderly and hassle-free Palkhi procession for lakhs of devotees.
