With more than 40 crore devotees anticipated to visit Ujjain during the Simhastha Mahaparv-2028, the Madhya Pradesh government is gearing up on a war footing to ensure world-class arrangements. Development works worth more than Rs 25,000 crore are progressing across multiple districts as part of Simhastha preparations.
Key infrastructure projects include the Rs 919 crore Kanh Closed Duct Diversion to prevent polluted water from entering the river, new and upgraded ghats at a cost of Rs 120 crore to facilitate holy dips for more than four crore devotees in a 24-hour period, and a 29-km project worth Rs 778 crore.
Union Minister for Power, Urban Development and Housing Manohar Lal, during a high-level review meeting held at the Collector's office in Ujjain, directed officials to complete all tasks related to sanitation, drinking water, food, security, transport, and health services on priority basis.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who attended the meeting, affirmed that no effort would be spared to make Simhastha-2028 a historic and unforgettable event, a press note issued here on Friday said. "Clean water will be provided to devotees for the holy dip," he emphasised.
The Chief Minister highlighted ongoing initiatives, including the Kanh Closed Duct Diversion Project and the Silarkhedi-Sevarkhedi Project to ensure purity of the Shipra River. To boost connectivity, several major road projects are underway, including the Ujjain-Indore six-lane highway (Rs 1,692 crore), the Indore-Ujjain greenfield four-lane corridor (Rs 2,935 crore), Ujjain-Jaora four-lane (Rs 5,017 crore), and others.
Additionally, 22 new bridges, five railway over-bridges, and 17 river bridges are being constructed. A massive parking infrastructure spanning over 3,000 hectares across 30 sectors is also planned, with facilities extending to neighbouring districts, the press note said.
Under the Ujjain City Water Augmentation Scheme, a 200 MLD water treatment plant, more than 700 km of pipeline network, 17 new overhead tanks, and nearly 49,000 new drinking water connections are being developed at a cost of Rs 1,133 crore. During the review of the Swachh Bharat Mission, Union Minister Manohar Lal stressed effective solid and liquid waste management, wastewater recycling, and improved monitoring.
He called for stronger public awareness campaigns across the state's 16 Smart Cities and directed prompt payment of government dues under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme. This coordinated push reflects the state's commitment to delivering a grand and seamless spiritual experience while accelerating overall urban and regional development.