Sadhugram, a place in Nashik city where sadhus would be accommodated during the Kumbh Mela
Among the proposed facilities is a 10-bed temporary hospital at Nandur Sadhugram, besides several medical units in Sadhugram and major parking zones.
Officials said the strategy has been designed to bring healthcare services closer to devotees during peak days of Kumbh Mela, reducing the need for patients to travel through crowded routes for treatment. Officials said the overall objective is to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services, rapid patient transportation and adequate treatment capacity during one of the country’s largest religious gatherings. The proposals of Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC), District Civil Hospital Nashik, Zilla Parishad health department and Regional Referral Hospital have received administrative approval through the Nashik Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority (NTKMA). Authorities have also proposed a digital disease surveillance system to monitor illnesses by location and category, enabling early detection of potential outbreaks.
The plan is estimated to cost around Rs 260 crore, covering clinics, ambulances, ICU expansion, medical equipment, medicines, disease surveillance and digital health monitoring. The preparedness plan also seeks to increase the overall treatment capacity of the cities from the existing 1,305 beds to 1,945 beds, including 185 ICU beds. Four major NMC hospitals, namely Hinduhruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Hospital, Dr Zakir Husain Hospital, Indira Gandhi Hospital and Arogyashala Hospital, will receive 73 additional ICU beds. Their combined ICU capacity is proposed to rise from 17 to 90 beds, while total bed strength will increase from 350 to 550.
The healthcare network will be supported by specialist doctors, MBBS and BAMS practitioners, nurses, auxiliary nurse midwives, pharmacists, technicians and support staff.