Nashik civic body drafts 6,980cr blueprint for Kumbh Mela works

The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has prepared a blueprint of Rs 6,978 crore for various development projects in the city for the Kumbh Mela slated to be held in 2026 and 2027.

This is an initial plan that will be submitted to the state govt during a meeting expected to be held next month for its approval.

Nashik is one of the four cities in the country where Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years. The last Kumbh Mela was held in the year 2015, and then the state govt had given approval to plans worth Rs 1,052.61 crore.

According to an NMC official, the civic body will spend Rs 2,189 crore on developing 23 roads with a total length of 289 km in the city. "Moreover, the NMC will also construct nine new bridges on Godavari and its three tributaries at a cost of Rs 236 crore. Of these, five bridges will be constructed on the Godavari, two on Waghadi, and one bridge each on Nandini and Waldevi rivers. During the last Kumbh Mela the civic body had constructed seven bridges," the official said.

The 23 roads which the NMC has proposed to construct include Shahi Marg (route through which sadhus take out a procession from Tapovan to Ramkund) and roads heading towards Ramkund.

The civic body has also proposed to acquire land for 17 missing links to increase the connectivity of roads at the cost of Rs 929 crore. The NMC will also undertake various works related to water supply, sewage, electricity, solid waste management, health, fire brigade, garden department and parking.

"We will start the tender process for the development works once we get the approval from the state govt. All the works are expected to be completed before the Mela begins," a civic official said.

Kumbh Mela is the occasion that helps the civic body to improve the city's infrastructure. Over 2 crore devotees and sadhus visited Nashik during the last Kumbh Mela. This time around, as per an estimate, the number is likely to increase to 5 crore.