MUMBAI: Instructions for creating a separate Kumbh Mela Authority for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela scheduled for 2027 at Nashik – Trimbakeshwar were given by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today during a review meeting. He also directed that this Simhastha Kumbh should be known as a ‘Digital Technology Kumbh,’ and a plan should be made accordingly.
A review meeting held at Sahyadri Guest house regarding the preparations for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela to be held at Nashik Trimbakeshwar in 2027 was chaired by Chief Minister Mr. Fadnavis today. In attendance were Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan, Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, Nashik Divisional Commissioner Dr. Praveen Gedam, District Collector Jalaj Sharma, Municipal Commissioner Manisha Khatri, and secretaries from various departments.
In connection with the preparations for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, Divisional Commissioner Dr. Gedam made a presentation. As per the instructions from the previous meeting, a team from Nashik was sent to assess the preparations for the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. Based on the suggestions recorded by this team, the required facilities for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela were also reviewed.
To ensure that the Simhastha Kumbh Mela is organized in an orderly manner, with coordination between all systems and quick completion of the work, a Kumbh Mela Authority should be created. For this, a Kumbh Mela Authority law should be formulated. The required manpower for the Kumbh Mela should be placed under the authority of the Kumbh Mela Authority, as instructed by Chief Minister Mr. Fadnavis during the meeting.
An initial draft plan had already been prepared for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela. However, seeing the crowd situation in Prayagraj’s Maha Kumbh, Chief Minister Mr. Fadnavis instructed that planning be made for four to five times the crowd expected in Nashik for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela. The plan should include crowd management, number of ghats, roads, railway, and air transport. The Nashik-Trimbak road should be widened by 24 meters. Also, the possibility of setting up a tent city along this road should be considered. Roadwork in Nashik city should be completed. Instructions were also given for conducting a drone survey to assess whether a riverfront road along the Godavari can be developed.
Instructions were given to reinforce the roads
For the Simhastha, there is a likelihood that devotees will travel to Nashik and Trimbakeshwar via routes from Mumbai, Jawhar, Gujarat, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Shirdi, Dhule, Pune, and Mumbai. Therefore, the strengthening of roads on these routes should be done. Parking facilities for vehicles should be created on these routes. During the Kumbh, vehicles should not be allowed within Nashik city. An e-bus service should be provided for devotees from the parking lots to the city. These e-buses should depart every three minutes. Moreover, arrangements should be made for passenger management at airports such as Shirdi, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, and Ojhar.
Space for stopping flights at Shirdi Airport should be increased. Further facilities should be made available at Ojhar Airport for more flights to land. Instructions were also given to explore the possibility of setting up helipads in Nashik city.
In coordination with the Railway Administration, facilities should be created at stations such as Nashik Road, Igatpuri, and Kasara for the devotees traveling by train, as also suggested by the Chief Minister during the meeting.
Create a Religious Corridor
Devotees visiting the Simhastha Kumbh Mela also visit nearby religious places such as Trimbakeshwar, Shirdi, Wani, Shani Shingnapur, and Mangitungi. Therefore, a corridor for these religious places should be created. The work on the Ram Kal Path in Nashik should be completed by next year. Additionally, the preservation work of the Trimbakeshwar Temple should be undertaken. Beautification of the Kushavarta and other kunds in Trimbakeshwar should be done so that devotees can visit them. Furthermore, Chief Minister has directed that the encroachments around Nashik and Trimbakeshwar temples be removed immediately.
The Kumbh should be a Digital Technology Kumbh
For the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, maximum use of artificial intelligence and advanced digital technology should be made. AI technology should be used extensively for crowd management, traffic management, and surveillance. For the roads with high crowd density, digital Kumbh-related displays should be set up to manage the crowd and help devotees save time. A competition should be held to create the logo for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, as instructed by Chief Minister Mr. Fadnavis.
The data from the 2015 Simhastha Kumbh Mela should be analyzed to understand how the next Kumbh Mela can be planned. During the Simhastha, the water in the Godavari river should flow continuously so that devotees can bathe in clean water, and a plan should be made for this. Additionally, land acquisition for the Sadhu Gram, and the establishment of health centers, fire safety facilities, and other amenities at Sadhu Gram and other important locations should be planned. The Chief Minister also instructed that a communication system (public address system) be established to quickly disseminate information to the public during the Kumbh.
During the Kumbh Mela, technological assistance should be used for crowd management. Furthermore, training should be provided to the workforce working during the Kumbh. Public participation is crucial for the Kumbh, and a plan for the same should be made, as suggested by Water Resources Minister Mr. Mahajan.