Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Taking lessons from massive traffic snarls and past tragic incidents during religious events at Kubreshwar Dham in Sehore, the police and district administration have put elaborate arrangements in place ahead of Mahashivratri.
The festival will be celebrated on Sunday, with thousands of devotees expected to visit the Dham. Bageshwar Dham chief Dhirendra Shastri is likely to deliver a sermon on February 17 at Kubreshwar Dham, followed by a sermon by Devkinandan Thakur the next day.
The arrangements include earmarked parking areas, traffic diversions, and the establishment of a hospital near the premises along with health centres to handle any exigency. In August 2025, six people were killed and several others injured in a stampede during the ‘Rudraksha’ distribution programme at the Dham. On several occasions, the highway stretch near the Dham has also witnessed severe traffic congestion, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded for hours.
To prevent a recurrence, Sehore and Bhopal police are coordinating closely for traffic management during the festival. From February 12 onwards, traffic between Bhopal and Sehore will be diverted from designated points, and the arrangement will remain in force until the conclusion of the religious events at the Dham .
The police have identified around 110 acres of land for vehicle parking. However, the land currently has gram crops standing on it. Authorities hope that farmers will harvest the crop before the festival begins, allowing the land to be used for parking.
