25 July,2026 12:45 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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In a first for the annual Pandharpur Wari pilgrimage, the Maharashtra government's newly introduced air ambulance service was used to airlift a critically ill pilgrim, enabling him to receive timely specialised treatment amid the massive Ashadhi Ekadashi rush.
The emergency evacuation involved 54-year-old Balu Padalu, a resident of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, who suffered severe chest pain while visiting the Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple in Pandharpur.
According to a statement issued by the Maharashtra government on Friday night, Padalu had travelled to Pandharpur in Solapur district for the darshan of Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini when he began experiencing severe chest discomfort.
He was initially treated at an intensive care unit near Teen Rasta before being shifted to the sub-district hospital in Pandharpur.
Doctors conducted an electrocardiogram (ECG), which indicated that he required urgent specialised cardiac treatment.
With lakhs of devotees crowding the narrow roads of Pandharpur during the Ashadhi Wari pilgrimage, doctors concluded that transporting the patient by road would consume valuable time.
They decided to use the state's newly introduced air ambulance service to transfer him to Solapur.
The patient was flown to Solapur Airport before being shifted by road to Yashodhara Hospital, where he was placed under the care of cardiologists, District Civil Surgeon Dr Varsha Doiphode said.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Padalu inside the air ambulance after it landed at Solapur Airport and enquired about his health.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the patient's medical condition with doctors and directed them to ensure that he receives all necessary treatment.
Lakhs of Warkaris travel to Pandharpur every year for the Ashadhi Wari pilgrimage, making emergency medical evacuations particularly challenging because of heavy crowds and traffic restrictions.
To address this issue, the Maharashtra government introduced an air ambulance service for this year's pilgrimage, enabling critically ill devotees to be transported quickly to advanced medical facilities.
Officials said Padalu's evacuation marked the first emergency use of the air ambulance service during the centuries-old Pandharpur pilgrimage, demonstrating its role in improving emergency healthcare access for pilgrims during one of Maharashtra's largest religious gatherings.
(With inputs from PTI)
