File photo of lakhs of Warkaris crossing the Dive ghat near Saswad along with Sant Dnyaneshwer Palkhi during the month-long annual Pandharpur pilgrimage. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)The Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services (MEMS) will deploy 75 ambulances during the Pandharpur Yatra, also known as Pandharpur Wari, which will begin on June 20 after a hiatus of two years, as part of preparedness and to avoid any untoward incident on the travel route.
Due to Covid-19-related restrictions, the annual palkhi or palanquin procession was not allowed for two years. Now, the three-week-long walk from Dehu to Pandharpur which covers nearly 450 km will commence on June 20. During this annual event, pilgrims (warkaris) follow the palkhi of Sant Tukaram to the Vithoba Temple at Pandharpur.
Sant Dnyaneshwar Palkhi will begin from Alandi on June 21 and the yatra will end on Ashadi Ekadashi on July 10.
The palkhi carries the padukas or footprints of Sant Tukaram and Sant Dnyaneshwar and is a popular pilgrimage that has seen the avid participation of people from all walks of life.
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Dr Dnyaneshwar Shelke, chief operating officer at BVG Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services, said that 15 ambulances will be deployed at Pandharpur before, during and after the Ashadhi Ekadashi. Field Control Ambulance will be available with both Palkhis for full routes until Pandharpur, said Dr Shelke, adding that they have coordinated with the Palkhi Sansthan managements at Dehu, Alandi and other places.
“We have set up two MEMS-108 Control Rooms at Pandharpur and district wise 53 ambulances have been earmarked for Pune, six for Satara and 16 for Solapur. First responder training plans have been given to police officials, temple staff and other volunteers,” said Dr Shelke.
All ambulances during the Ashadhi Wari 22 will serve Covid-19 and other patients and according to Dr Shelke those who are symptomatic will be transferred to government facilities with adequate precaution. Each ambulance will be fumigated for 30 minutes after handing over the patient. Dr Shelke said, “From 2014-2019 we have assisted at least 3,583 patients via our emergency services during the annual pilgrimage.”
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