Maharashtra to set up special authority for Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela 2027

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On the lines of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Maharashtra, too will have a Kumbh Mela Authority Act for the religious mela to be held in Nashik-Trimbakeshwar in 2027. In Nashik, speaking about Kumbh preparations, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "Maharashtra, too, will have special authority to ensure smooth execution of plans for the festival."

Further elaborating, the CM cited that his government plans to develop Trimbakeshwar temple, one of the 12 jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Going by the rush of visitors to the recently conducted Mahakumbh at Prayagraj in UP, the Maharashtra government is anticipating the crowd turnout to be four times higher compared to the 2015 festival held in Nashik. Kumbh - the religious festival - is held once every 12 years. It may be recalled that in 2003, at the Nashik Kumbh, a stampede had claimed 39 lives.

Fadnavis is personally monitoring the preparations for Kumbh for two reasons-one, he has made his intentions clear that he wants to position Nashik as a global spiritual destination and two, the CM does not want any untoward incident or gaps when it comes preparation of the grand festival.

No wonder then that the CM in the past three months had several rounds of meetings to review the preparations for the Nashik event. According to senior Mantralaya officials, the CM has held three meetings in January, February and now in March. "The CM at regular intervals keeps taking reviews of every development pertaining to preparation and arrangements of the Kumbh festival," the official added.