Traffic and disaster management plans in place for Mahabaleshwar tourism fest

Kolhapur: To manage the heavy rush of visitors during the Mahabaleshwar Tourism Festival, authorities have decided to implement one-way traffic on the ghat roads connecting Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani. The three-day festival is scheduled to begin on May 2.
Visitors in large numbers are expected to come to the twin hill stations of Satara district. Not just tourists, many eminent people and invitees are also going to attend the grand festival. An estimate suggests, the footfall to triple during the festival. On normal holidays, footfall is generally between 50,000-60,000 per day.
A notification issued by Satara Police said, tourists arriving from Mumbai and Pune can take the Pasarni Ghat road from the Wai side. For leaving Mahabaleshwar, people can take the route via Meda, Kudal, Pachwad and then join Pune-Bengaluru NH 48.
Those who want to travel further from Mahabaleshwar to Bhilar and then to Panchgani can take the route via Uday Hotel Chowk, R R Cottage Chowk, Mahabaleshwar Naka to Avkali. It will also be a one-way route. To travel from Mahabaleshwar to Venna Lake, tourists have to take the route via Market, R R Cottage, Nakinda Phata to Venna Lake.
Tourists arriving and leaving Mahabaleshwar from Sangli, Kolhapur, and Satara can take the Meda route, the notification said.
Parking lots have been designated at the event locations. Events such as a laser show, musical fest, adventure sports, food fest, kids' play events, fort and ammunition exhibition, yoga and boating will be organised.
A tent city is built at a couple of places for tourists to stay near nature. There will be a shuttle bus service to take people to tourist points from the parking site.
A team of the National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF) will be stationed at Mahabaleshwar, said Satara's district disaster management officer. He said that apart from the disaster management team, there will be groups of volunteers, Apada Mitras, to assist tourists and ensure mitigation if needed.