Kumbh cell gears up for CM Devendra Fadnavis’s visit

NASHIK: Government officials in the city have started preparing for the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ visit to Nashik to review Kumbh projects. He is likely to visit on December 26, though there is no official confirmation yet.
“The official announcement is yet to be made. Going by the discussions held in the meeting in Nagpur, the chief minister (CM) is likely to visit at the earliest to ensure that the preparations for Kumbh Mela are going smoothly.The administration has asked the officials to be ready to show the developments in Nashik,” said a senior official from the Kumbh mela office.
The CM’s first stop will be to see the proposed new shahi marg for the sadhus that will be finalized after discussions with the seers.
“The meeting with the seers will be held only in late January, however, if the CM visits Nashik, he will be taken to the proposed new shahi marg and then to places where new ghats are being constructed along the banks of the Godavari, especially near Tapovan and the Ram Srushti,” said a senior civic official.
The chief minister’s visit to the proposed shahi marg will help the administration pressurize the seers to take the new route to Ram Kunda after they start from Tapovan.
In the 2002-03 Kumbh, 29 people were killed in a stampede and the administration had failed to find a solution for widening the current shahi marg, a narrow lane winding down to the river bank.
Trimbakeshwar is also one of the places where the CM is likely to visit. “The various departments are in the process of listing the venues where the CM can possibly visit, which includes Trimbakeshwar, as it will co-host Kumbh along with Nashik. The visit will be finalised by a team of senior officials from revenue and the security department. The plan will be clear only after the CM’s office clears his Nashik visit,” said the officer.
The officer further said that the CM is likely to approve the re-appropriation of the Kumbh plan by around Rs 300 crore. “During the meeting, he was convinced on the same but his visit will only be a step towards confirmation of the government’s assurance. Funds are needed for works including beautification of the ghats and better infrastructure,” the officer added.
Additional collector and mela officer R K Gawade on Wednesday said that the principal approval for the additional sum of Rs 285 crore for the Kumbh Mela came during a high power meeting held in Nagpur on December 16.