In light of severe flooding in the Indrayani River, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday appealed to Warkaris and devotees heading towards Alandi to halt safely wherever they currently are. As all four bridges leading into Alandi are completely submerged, making entry into the town unsafe, the Chief Minister has urged pilgrims to skip Dehu and Alandi and join the Wari procession in Pune city instead.
"Warkaris and citizens must strictly follow instructions from the administration, police and disaster management teams," CM Fadnavis said. He advised the public not to believe in rumours and to strictly avoid visiting riverbeds, ghats or closed bridges. Assuring that the administration is taking all necessary safety measures, he urged everyone to maintain patience and cooperate with the authorities.
He explicitly requested that any Warkari groups who have already reached Pune stay within the city limits. Against the backdrop of heavy rainfall and potential flood situations developing across the state, CM Fadnavis has urged the citizens of Maharashtra to remain highly alert and cooperate fully with the local administration.
The Chief Minister clarified that the entire state government machinery is fully prepared and 24-hour control rooms have been activated to provide immediate assistance in the event of any emergency. He advised citizens not to believe in rumours, to rely solely on information from official sources, and to immediately contact the designated official helpline numbers during times of crisis.
The state government has operationalised the emergency contacts, including State-Level Main Control Room (Toll-Free): 1070, Mobile Number: 09321587143, Telephone Numbers: 022-22027990 / 022-22794229, and District-Level Control Rooms (Toll-Free): 1077 (activated across all districts for rapid local assistance and monitoring).
CM Fadnavis added that the administration has been instructed to take proper precautions and ensure the safety of citizens living in landslide-prone and sensitive areas. He appealed to the public not to panic during an emergency and to promptly seek help from the administrative machinery using these helpline numbers.
Earlier, CM Fadnavis informed the state Assembly that the state government has put all emergency apparatus on the highest level of alert. He stated that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alerts for multiple districts, tracking gusty wind speeds ranging between 70 and 90 km/h that have already caused widespread destruction, including numerous tree collapses and severe structural damage.
In an unprecedented move to ensure public safety and streamline communication, the Chief Minister announced that the state's automated systems are directly broadcasting emergency SMS alerts every three hours to residents trapped in the worst-hit zones.
"We are dealing with an intense and evolving natural emergency. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local civic bodies are deployed in full capacity. Our absolute priority right now is preventing loss of life and executing rescue operations," said the Chief Minister.