Ujjian/ Bhopal June 20, 2026

Simhastha-2028 preparations gathered momentum on Friday as Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav and Union Minister for Power, Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar jointly reviewed ongoing works in Ujjain, with a focus on infrastructure, sanitation, water supply, energy and crowd management for the mega religious congregation expected to draw more than 40 crore devotees. The review meeting was held at the Collectorate in Ujjain, where both leaders assessed progress and directed officials to strengthen monitoring systems to ensure timely completion of projects.

Khattar stressed that all arrangements related to cleanliness, drinking water, food distribution, security, transport and health services should be completed on priority. He said Simhastha is an event of national and international importance and preparations must match its scale and significance. The meeting also reviewed the implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission, including solid and liquid waste management, reuse of treated water and expansion of sanitation facilities.

A key development during the meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between IIM Indore, the Urban Development Department and IIM Nagpur. The agreement is expected to support planning, management and monitoring of major urban initiatives linked to Simhastha preparations.

Chief Minister Yadav briefed the Union Minister on efforts being made to ensure clean water for pilgrims during the festival. He shared updates on the Kanh Closed Duct Diversion Project and the Silarkhedi-Sevarkhedi project, both aimed at improving the quality and availability of water in the Shipra river during Simhastha. Officials informed the meeting that more than Rs 25,000 crore worth of projects are underway in Ujjain and nearby districts. These include roads, bridges, ghats and urban infrastructure works. The Rs 919-crore Kanh Closed Duct Diversion Project is being implemented to prevent polluted water from entering the Shipra. New ghats stretching over 29 km are being developed at a cost of Rs 778 crore, while existing permanent ghats are being upgraded with an investment of Rs 120 crore. Authorities estimate that more than four crore devotees will be able to take a holy dip within 24 hours during peak bathing days.

Connectivity is also being expanded through several major road projects. These include the Ujjain-Indore six-lane highway, the Ujjain-Indore Greenfield corridor, and four-lane highways connecting Ujjain with Jaora, Jhalawar and Maksi. Internal roads within the city are also being widened and upgraded. The review revealed that more than 22 new bridges, five railway overbridges and 17 river bridges are under construction. A centralised digital command platform will be developed for real-time surveillance, crowd management, traffic regulation and emergency response. Around 30 parking centres covering more than 3,000 hectares are being planned, with additional holding areas proposed in neighbouring districts.

Water and health infrastructure are also being expanded. Under the city water augmentation plan, a 200 MLD treatment plant, over 700 km of pipeline network, 17 overhead tanks and nearly 49,000 new water connections are being created. A 550-bed medical college complex and associated hostel facilities are also nearing completion, while construction of an IT Park is progressing. The meeting also reviewed the state's power sector. Officials reported that aggregate technical and commercial losses had fallen from 41.55 per cent in 2020-21 to 25.68 per cent in 2025-26 under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme. Khattar asked officials to accelerate rooftop solar installations under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana and expand benefits of the Kusum scheme so that farmers can also become energy Union min Khattar producers.

With Simhastha-2028 expected to require around 230 MW of electricity, the government is planning extensive power infrastructure upgrades. Officials said the event is being designed as a "Zero Waste" and "Green Simhastha", supported by a proposed 20 MW solar energy capacity that is expected to generate nearly 3.2 crore units of electricity annually. As project execution moves into a critical phase, regular reviews are expected to continue in the coming months to keep preparations on schedule for the 2028.