Archive · 27 Aug 2026
Pune Police Ban Plasma, Pressure Mid Systems Ahead Of Ganeshotsav
Pune Police are making rules for the 2026 Ganesh festival and Dahi Handi celebrations.
They said plasma and pressure mid sound systems will not be allowed.
These systems can make noise much louder than permitted.
Police tested sound levels at more than 1,000 places.
They found violations at 148 locations and seized sound equipment at six places.
Festival groups must follow noise rules set by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.
Police and Ganesh mandals are discussing how many speakers and dhol-tasha groups should be allowed.
The goal is to let people celebrate without disturbing residents or creating unsafe crowd conditions.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar announced a complete ban on pressure mid and plasma sound systems during Ganesh festival celebrations.
Police testing found more than 1,000 noise violations, with 148 locations exceeding permissible sound limits.
Sound systems using banned equipment were seized at six locations during a Wednesday procession.
Ganesh mandals must follow Maharashtra Pollution Control Board guidelines and prescribed limits for loudspeakers, bass and treble.
Police are consulting mandals on speaker limits, dhol-tasha groups and crowd management for immersion processions.
- Who
- Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Pune Police officials, Ganesh mandals and other stakeholders.
- What
- Pune Police banned pressure mid and plasma sound systems and began enforcing noise limits during Ganesh festival events.
- When
- Ahead of Ganeshotsav 2026 and Dahi Handi celebrations; enforcement was also reported during a Wednesday procession.
- Where
- Pune, including procession locations and the Laxmi Road and Tilak Road routes.
- Why
- Because police testing found that plasma and pressure mid systems exceed permissible noise levels, while authorities aim to reduce disturbance and manage procession crowds.
Police Restrictions
Ganesh Mandal Proposals
Banned sound equipment
Police Restrictions
Police said pressure mid and plasma systems will be completely banned because testing found they produce sound above permissible limits.
Ganesh Mandal Proposals
Ganesh mandals discussed the equipment with police and indicated that they would not use plasma or pressure mid systems during celebrations.
Speaker limits
Police Restrictions
Police are consulting stakeholders before making a final decision on the number of speakers allowed during immersion processions and stationary programmes.
Ganesh Mandal Proposals
Some mandals proposed a limit of four bass and four top speakers during processions, while requesting six bass and six top speakers for stationary open-space programmes.
Procession sound and management
Police Restrictions
Police are considering limits on dhol-tasha groups because of complaints about loud practice sessions and are prioritising crowd management on Laxmi Road and Tilak Road.
Ganesh Mandal Proposals
Mandal representatives are participating in discussions intended to allow groups to move smoothly through procession routes while determining acceptable sound arrangements.
- Police commissioner
- Amitesh Kumar
- Banned equipment
- Pressure mid and plasma sound systems
- Noise testing
- More than 1,000 tests were conducted
- Violations detected
- Sound levels exceeded permitted limits at 148 locations
- Equipment seizures
- Entire sound systems were seized at six locations
- Applicable standards
- Maharashtra Pollution Control Board guidelines and prescribed decibel limits
- Speaker proposal
- Some mandals proposed four bass and four top speakers during processions, and six of each for stationary open-space programmes
