CM Fadnavis Urges Warkaris to Avoid Flooded Alandi as Indrayani River Bridges Submerge
On Monday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis appealed to Warkaris and devotees to avoid traveling to Alandi and Dehu due to severe flooding of the Indrayani River. With all four bridges leading into the pilgrimage town of Alandi completely submerged and unsafe, the Chief Minister urged pilgrims to halt safely wherever they currently are or join the Wari procession in Pune city instead.
Fadnavis explicitly requested that any Warkari groups who have already reached Pune stay within the city limits. He advised the public to strictly avoid visiting riverbeds, ghats, or closed bridges, and to cooperate fully with the authorities.
"Warkaris and citizens must strictly follow instructions from the administration, police and disaster management teams," Fadnavis said, urging people to maintain patience and rely solely on information from official sources.
The appeal comes against the backdrop of heavy rainfall and potential flood situations developing across Maharashtra. The Chief Minister informed the state Assembly that the emergency apparatus is on the highest level of alert. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alerts for multiple districts, tracking gusty wind speeds between 70 and 90 km/h that have already caused widespread destruction, including tree collapses and structural damage.
To manage the crisis, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local civic bodies have been deployed in full capacity. Additionally, 24-hour control rooms have been activated across all districts. The state government has operationalised several helpline numbers, including the State-Level Main Control Room at 1070 and district-level lines at 1077.
The administration has also been instructed to take proper precautions for citizens living in landslide-prone and sensitive areas. Automated systems are directly broadcasting emergency SMS alerts every three hours to residents trapped in the worst-hit zones.
