Are Preparations for Ujjain Simhastha Mela Speeding Up?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Accelerated preparations for Simhastha Mela 2028.
- Focus on safety for devotees and sadhus.
- Infrastructure development including road enhancements.
- Anticipated influx of 15 crore pilgrims.
- Divine blessings from Lord Mahakal inspire the preparations.
Bhopal, Aug 6 (NationPress) Madhya Pradesh Urban Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya stated on Wednesday that preparations for the traditional Simhastha Mela 2028 in the sacred city of Ujjain are progressing rapidly.
This announcement came following a review meeting led by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav at his office.
"With the blessings of Lord Mahakal, the holy city of Ujjain is entering a divine phase. Preparations for Simhastha have commenced, and the city is beginning to transform with devotion, service, and development," Vijayvargiya shared on social media platform X.
The Minister emphasized that decisions are being made incrementally to ensure the safety of devotees and the sadhus and sanyasis from all 18 Naga Akharas across the nation.
He mentioned that development activities are being executed promptly.
"During the meeting, extensive discussions were conducted regarding the status of development activities for Simhastha-2028 in Ujjain, and essential directives were given to the officials," he noted on X.
In a prior meeting held last month in Ujjain, Chief Minister Yadav directed that all tasks related to Simhastha be finalized by June 2027, with monthly evaluations scheduled.
Ongoing development efforts include the widening of roads and lanes in Ujjain, which has witnessed an increasing influx of devotees since the establishment of Shri Mahakal Lok.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the need to minimize walking distances and deploy e-vehicles.
Disaster and fire management will take precedence in these plans.
Seven key routes to Ujjain have been approved for enhancement, with four lanes and one major route designated as a six-lane road.
The Chief Minister has instructed that the work on these routes be accelerated.
The Simhastha Mela in Ujjain occurs once every 12 years, attracting a vast number of devotees during the month-long festival.
The Madhya Pradesh government anticipates welcoming nearly 15 crore pilgrims this time.
In 2016, during the last Simhastha, approximately 75 million people participated in the month-long event.