Major infrastructure push for Simhastha 2028
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has directed officials to fast-track Ujjain’s preparations for Simhastha 2028, ordering that pending approvals be secured in November and that 175 infrastructure works worth about ₹20,000 crore be completed within staged timelines, government officers said on Tuesday.
At an administrative review, the Chief Minister instructed that required officers and staff be posted immediately at the Simhastha Mela Office, the Collectorate and the Simhastha Cell, and asked each department to constitute dedicated teams with adequate manpower, according to divisional commissioner and Simhastha mela officer Asheesh Singh and collector Raushan Kumar Singh.
"Open completed projects to the public immediately, rather than waiting for the entire programme of works to be finished," Yadav told officials, according to the review note.
Staged completion windows and procurement
Officials said the 175 works have been scheduled across four completion windows to manage workflow and ensure operational readiness well before the fair. The distribution of projects is as follows:
| Completion window | Number of projects |
|---|---|
| By December 2026 | 51 |
| January–March 2027 | 36 |
| April–June 2027 | 61 |
| July–October 2027 | 23 |
Tenders have already been issued for permanent works within the fair area, the officers said. The Chief Minister’s direction to open completed projects to public use immediately places emphasis on making infrastructure operational as it becomes ready, rather than waiting for all works to finish.
Focus on movement, accommodation and water services
The review prioritised plans for movement of visitors and the pressure Simhastha is expected to place on roads and ghats. Officials were asked to prepare traffic, parking and crowd movement plans based on expected numbers of devotees, the divisional commissioner said.
- Tourism and police departments will prepare a joint parking plan.
- Holding areas and tent cities are being explored in Ghattia, Tarana and nearby locations.
- Farmers and social organisations will be encouraged to set up tent cities; a home-stay network will be expanded.
- Nearby schools and colleges, including Sandipani schools along routes, are to be identified for temporary accommodation and provided basic repairs, toilets and drinking water.
Drinking water and sewerage works in the city and fair area have been assigned high priority, reflecting long-standing concerns about potable supply and sanitation during mass gatherings in religious towns.
Local implications and timelines
For Ujjain residents, the Simhastha plan signals a substantial, short-term surge in construction activity and service upgrades. If managed on schedule, improvements to roads, drainage, water supply and accommodation will relieve chronic pressure points around ghats and pilgrimage routes. The administration’s encouragement of farmers and community groups to participate in tent-city arrangements also creates potential seasonal income opportunities for rural households in Ghattia, Tarana and adjoining areas.
Officials warned that accelerated works and early openings will require coordinated action across departments and strict monitoring of procurement and execution. The staged deadlines running from December 2026 through October 2027 are intended to distribute workload and reduce last‑minute bottlenecks ahead of the 2028 fair.
Divisional and district administrations will next focus on detailed traffic management plans, the placement of sanitary facilities, and ensuring drinking water networks are upgraded in time for the influx of pilgrims, the review concluded.
