The slow pace of land requisition and acquisition for Sadhugram and other infrastructure has raised concern within the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority (NTKMA), which has asked the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) to accelerate the process ahead of the Simhasth Kumbh Mela in 2027.
In a letter to the civic body, the NTKMA stressed that both land requisition and compensation procedures need to move faster to ensure that land is available on time for Kumbh-related works. It also directed officials to submit compensation proposals for affected landowners at the earliest, warning that delays could affect execution of key projects.
The projects covered in the authority’s communication include the expansion of Sadhugram, internal parking facilities, holding areas, a helipad and other infrastructure required for the religious congregation. Sadhugram is the designated township for sadhus and seers during the mela.
The facility occupied around 350 acres during the 2015 Kumbh. Authorities expect the number of sadhus and sects to rise substantially in 2027 and have proposed expanding Sadhugram to nearly 1,400 acres. The plan includes the existing 350 acres of reserved land at Tapovan and around 1,050 acres to be temporarily requisitioned from farmers in Nandur, Manur and adjoining areas on a lease basis during the mela period.
The expanded township is planned to include temporary sanitation facilities, bathing areas, internal roads, electrification, sector offices, police posts, shelters for devotees and designated commercial zones. These facilities will require land to be secured through a combination of permanent acquisition and temporary requisition.
NMC officials said the civic body already has around 90 acres, while nearly 191 acres are proposed to be acquired permanently before the Kumbh Mela. The remaining land required for Sadhugram and allied facilities is expected to be obtained temporarily from landowners.
The state government has sanctioned Rs 2,200 crore for land acquisition and related infrastructure works. The NTKMA’s intervention places the focus on the administrative steps needed to convert that sanction into land availability, compensation and construction readiness. The civic body has been asked to expedite the process and submit compensation proposals for affected landowners at the earliest.
