Anticipating similar or higher numbers during the Ganesh festival, Hemant Sonawane, Executive Director (Administration & Public Relations), recommended that passengers should alight at stations like Kasba Peth or Pune Municipal Corporation station.The Pune Metro has asked passengers travelling to the Peth areas to visit Ganpati pandals to avoid alighting at Mandai station to prevent overcrowding. Instead, to facilitate smoother flow, it has suggested alighting at Kasba Peth station and use Mandai station for the return journey.On August 27, the first day of the Ganesh festival, Mandai station saw a footfall of almost 44,000 passengers, compared to the usual 16,000. Anticipating similar or higher numbers during the Ganesh festival, Hemant Sonawane, Executive Director (Administration & Public Relations), recommended that passengers should alight at stations like Kasba Peth or Pune Municipal Corporation station.“We are making an appeal to people that if a large crowd boards and alights at Mandai, there will be a criss-cross movement. This increases chances of a stampede. To avoid any such chance we are requesting people to alight at Kasba Peth. People usually begin their journey near Shaniwar Wada, walk to Bajirao road, and then leave. This is the usual flow to see the Ganesh mandals. We are recommending the same.”Similarly, for passengers travelling on the Vanaz-Ramwadi line, the Pune Metro wrote on X, “Citizens who wish to travel to the Central Peth areas of the city via Pune Metro’s Line 2 are advised to alight at the stations closest to Deccan Gymkhana Metro station areas for their onward journey. Passengers should avoid alighting at Mandai Metro station to prevent overcrowding.”Also, considering the crowd of devotees during Ganeshotsav, changes have been made to the entry and exit points at Mandai station. Gate number 3 near Lokmanya Tilak statue will be used only for entry and gate number 2 on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Road will be used only for exit from the Metro station. Soham is a Correspondent with the Indian Express in Pune. A journalism graduate, he was a fact-checker before joining the Express. Soham currently covers education and is also interested in civic issues, health, human rights, and politics. ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:pune