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Nashik : Hours after President Droupadi Murmu hoisted the ceremonial flag at Ramkund on Saturday, marking the formal start of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, the focus shifted to a far tougher task: completing nearly Rs 35,000 crore worth of infrastructure projects before the first major wave of pilgrims arrives next year. The administration now has barely eight to nine months to prepare Nashik for the three Amrit Snans scheduled between Aug and Sept 2027. About 51% of the Kumbh-related works have been completed so far, according to Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority (NTKMA) commissioner Shekhar Singh. The deadline for completion is March 2027. Kumbh Mela minister Girish Mahajan said the state has launched a Rs 2,200-crore Godavari rejuvenation project that includes new STPs and a sewerage network aimed at preventing sewage discharge into the river. NMC commissioner Manisha Khatri said all concrete works would be completed by January 2027, two months ahead of the March deadline.
“The entire govt machinery is working in coordination, and the works will be completed before the main events of the three major Amrit Snans in Aug-Sept next year,” Singh said. “Our target is to make Godavari pollution-free by March 2027 and bring its water to bathing quality,” Khatri said.