CM Fadnavis warns Warkaris: avoid Dehu, Alandi as Indrayani bridges flood
Synopsis
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on 6 July 2026 issued an urgent advisory asking Warkari pilgrims to skip Dehu and Alandi and head directly to Pune after all four Indrayani River bridges began submerging due to heavy monsoon rainfall, citing serious safety risks.
Key Takeaways
CM Devendra Fadnavis issued the safety advisory on 6 July 2026 at 3:05 PM IST via his official X account.
All four bridges on the Indrayani River near Dehu and Alandi are reported to be submerging due to heavy monsoon rainfall.
Pilgrims have been asked to proceed directly to Pune instead of assembling at Dehu or Alandi , the traditional Wari gathering points.
The advisory was issued in both Marathi and Hindi to maximise reach among Warkari pilgrims from across Maharashtra.
The Wari pilgrimage to Pandharpur passes through the Pune region every year during the peak monsoon season, making flood disruptions a recurring risk.
Further coordination between Maharashtra disaster management authorities , Pune district administration, and temple committees is expected.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday, 6 July 2026 issued an urgent public safety advisory urging Warkari pilgrims to avoid assembling at Dehu and Alandi near Pune, warning that all four bridges over the Indrayani River are submerging and the area has become dangerous to access.
Context
Posting in both Marathi and Hindi to reach the widest possible pilgrim audience, CM Fadnavis wrote: 'Indrayani nadivril charahi pul sadhya panyakhali jat ahet' — 'All four bridges on the Indrayani River are currently going under water, and it is dangerous to go to that area.' He requested all Warkari brethren to proceed directly to Pune rather than gathering at the traditional assembly points of Dehu and Alandi.
The advisory was posted at 3:05 PM IST and tagged #Maharashtra, #Mumbai, and #HeavyRainfall, signalling a state-level emergency communication rather than a routine update.
Policy Backdrop
The Wari pilgrimage — one of Maharashtra's largest annual religious processions — draws hundreds of thousands of devotees who walk to Pandharpur each year, traditionally converging at Dehu, the town associated with Sant Tukaram, and Alandi, associated with Sant Dnyaneshwar, before proceeding south. The pilgrimage route passes through the Pune region during the peak monsoon months, making it perennially vulnerable to flooding disruptions.
The Maharashtra government has in previous years issued similar monsoon-related travel advisories for religious gatherings when the Indrayani River overflows and bridges become impassable. Such advisories are part of the state's standing disaster preparedness protocols for high-footfall pilgrim routes in the Pune district.
Stakeholders and Impact
The most immediate concern is the safety of Warkari pilgrims — many of them elderly devotees travelling on foot — who may already be en route to Dehu and Alandi. Redirecting this volume of people to Pune city requires rapid coordination between state disaster management authorities, local administration, and the temple committees that organise the procession.
Transport infrastructure in the Indrayani catchment area faces stress during heavy rainfall, and submerged bridges cut off not only pilgrims but also residents of surrounding villages. The advisory effectively asks pilgrims to bypass two of the most spiritually significant stops on the traditional route, a step authorities would take only under acute risk conditions.
What's Next
Authorities are expected to issue further updates on Indrayani River water levels and the status of the four bridges as the monsoon system moves through the region. The Maharashtra State Disaster Management Authority and Pune district administration are likely to coordinate alternative transport and shelter arrangements for pilgrims diverted to the city. Temple committees managing the Wari procession will need to communicate the rerouting to dindis — the organised groups of marching pilgrims — already on the road.
The episode underscores the recurring challenge of managing mass religious gatherings during an increasingly volatile monsoon season, and the growing reliance on direct social-media communication by senior state officials to reach pilgrims in real time.
Point of View
Broadening the state's duty-of-care calculus. The decision to redirect pilgrims away from Dehu and Alandi — two of the most sacred stops on the Wari route — also highlights the difficult trade-off between religious sentiment and disaster management that successive Maharashtra governments have had to navigate. If the diversion is managed well, it could reinforce the Fadnavis administration's credentials on proactive governance; a mismanaged crowd surge into Pune, however, could shift the narrative quickly.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has CM Fadnavis asked Warkari pilgrims to avoid Dehu and Alandi?
CM Devendra Fadnavis issued the advisory because all four bridges on the Indrayani River near Dehu and Alandi are submerging due to heavy monsoon rainfall, making the area dangerous for pilgrims to access.
Where should Warkari pilgrims go instead of Dehu and Alandi?
The CM has requested pilgrims to proceed directly to Pune city, which has been designated as a safer alternative gathering point during the flooding.
What is the Wari pilgrimage and why does it pass through Dehu and Alandi?
The Wari is an annual religious procession in which Warkari devotees walk to Pandharpur. Dehu is associated with Sant Tukaram and Alandi with Sant Dnyaneshwar, making both towns traditional and spiritually significant assembly points on the pilgrimage route.
Are the four Indrayani River bridges completely closed?
According to CM Fadnavis's advisory, all four bridges on the Indrayani River are currently going under water and the surrounding area is described as dangerous to enter. Specific bridge-by-bridge status updates are expected from local authorities.
Has Maharashtra issued flood advisories for the Wari pilgrimage before?
Yes. The Maharashtra government has issued monsoon-related travel and safety advisories for the Wari pilgrimage in previous years when the Indrayani River overflowed, as part of the state's standing disaster preparedness protocols for the Pune region pilgrim routes.
