Nashik: To ensure that there is no shortage of funds for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela to be held at Nashik and Trimbakeshwar, both the Central and State Governments are fully committed, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He announced that while projects worth about ₹6,000 crore have already been launched, by the time the Kumbh Mela begins, a total of ₹25,000 crore worth of works will be completed. He was speaking at a public meeting organised after the inauguration ceremony of the Kumbh Mela development works in Nashik.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Kumbh Mela Minister Girish Mahajan, Ministers Manikrao Kokate and Dadaji Bhuse, MPs Rajabhau Waje and Dr Shobha Bachhav, MLAs Rahul Aher, Rahul Dhikle, Devyani Pharande, Seema Hire, Dilip Bankar, and Kishor Darade, Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar and Additional Secretary of Urban Development Govindraja (via video conference), District Guardian Secretary Eknath Davle, Chairman of the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh Mela Authority Dr Pravin Gedam, Commissioner Shekhar Singh, along with Mahayuti leaders and citizens, were present on the occasion.
Chief Minister Fadnavis said, “This Kumbh is special because it coincides with the Trikhanda Yoga that occurs once in 75 years. The festival will last for about 28 months. The Kumbh at Prayagraj was one of the largest spiritual gatherings in the world. In the same tradition, Nashik and Trimbakeshwar will host this sacred event. Devotees come here to bathe in the sacred Godavari River. The combined area available for Nashik and Trimbakeshwar is around 500 acres, which is relatively small, so the Kumbh Mela must be managed efficiently. The last Kumbh here was successful, but this time the number of devotees is expected to be five times higher. Therefore, ensuring the safety of pilgrims is essential.”
He further said, “Projects worth ₹20,000 crore are already underway in Nashik, which will eventually reach ₹25,000 crore. Work worth ₹6,000 crore has already begun. Because of the coordination among administrative officers, large-scale work is progressing well. The people of Nashik and Trimbakeshwar are cooperating, even when some must be relocated. The Godavari River must remain clean. We are planning these projects with the next 25 years of development in mind.”
Nashik to shine on the global map: Eknath Shinde
Deputy Chief Minister Shinde said, “The Simhastha Kumbh Mela will transform the face of Nashik and promote its planned development. The administration has made excellent preparations in this regard. The State Government started preparations well in advance to ensure the success of the Kumbh Mela. This event will place Nashik prominently on the world map. The Kumbh festival is a great opportunity to make Nashik a beautiful and modern city.”
He added, “The government is committed to creating high-quality facilities for the event. For the Mela to be successful, effective planning and implementation are crucial, and the administration is actively working toward that goal. As a huge number of devotees will visit, ensuring their safety is a major responsibility for the government and administration. Artificial Intelligence will be used for security management,” said the Deputy Chief Minister.
Minister Girish Mahajan also expressed his views during the event.
