Pune: District collector Jitendra Dudi has directed concerned departments to carry out micro-level planning to ensure rider safety and smooth conduct of the international Bajaj Pune Grand Tour cycling race scheduled to be held from Jan 19 to 23 in Pune.Dudi chaired a high-level review meeting on Thursday and said the success of the race would depend largely on effective coordination among the police, health services and roads departments. He instructed officials to ensure roads along the race route were clean, obstacle-free and safe, and medical presence at every stage of the event.“Police must undertake detailed planning to prevent accidents and ensure public safety. Citizens must be informed of traffic restrictions, diversions and alternative routes well in advance,” the collector said. He stressed the need for close coordination among Pune city police, Pimpri-Chinchwad police and rural police units, given that the race will pass through multiple jurisdictions.Dudi directed the health department to identify hospitals equipped with full medical facilities within a 25km radius of each medical deployment point along the route. Ambulances and medical teams must be stationed at strategic locations to ensure a quick response, he added.The public works department (PWD) was directed to carry out deep cleaning of roads, repair damaged stretches and barricading before the event. “Signboards related to diversions, safety instructions and route information should be installed immediately to avoid last-minute confusion,” Dudi said.Special emphasis was laid on rural stretches of the route. Dudi instructed officials to form dedicated teams involving the animal husbandry department, forest department, gram panchayats and local volunteers to ensure that animals do not stray onto the route. Awareness drives will be conducted in villages along the route to sensitise residents about the event and related safety measures.Mock drills will be conducted on Jan 12 and Jan 18 to test preparedness, while finalisation of the race route will be carried out in coordination with all police units. The collector also called for cleanliness drives in rural areas and proper arrangements to welcome cyclists as they pass through villages.The education and sports departments were told to assess volunteer requirements for the event, while the food and drug administration will inspect the quality of food and beverages available along the route.Officials from the PWD, police, health, sports, forest and tourism departments, along with representatives from NHAI, PMRDA and municipal corporations, presented updates during the meeting.BOX | Traffic curbs, diversions announcedThe district administration has announced traffic restrictions and diversions on parts of state highway 131 to facilitate road strengthening and asphalting works ahead of the Pune Grand Challenge Tour Cycling Competition 2026.District collector and district magistrate Jitendra Dudi issued orders for works on the Kondhwa (Khadi Machine Chowk)–Saswad–Veer Road. The stretch from km 1/600 to km 6/550 (Stage 2: Yewalewadi Kaman to Bapdev Machi) will undergo strengthening and asphalting.During this period, vehicles travelling from Saswad towards Kondhwa will be diverted via the Palkhi route through Fursungi–Saswad–Dive Ghat. Additionally, from Jan 7 to Jan 14, traffic in parts of Haveli taluka will be temporarily closed and diverted to alternative routes to allow full-width paving works. The administration appealed to motorists to note the changes and cooperate.
