Ramkund and adjoining Godavari ghats in Nashik will remain closed to devotees for 15 to 20 days as the Nashik Municipal Corporation accelerates paving, concreting, repair and cleanliness work ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela flag-hoisting ceremony.
The temporary restriction covers the stretch between Ahilyabai Holkar bridge and Talukteshwar temple. Dashkriya rituals will continue at the designated site, officials said. The decision was announced after consultations with local legislators and other stakeholders, according to Nashik Municipal Corporation commissioner Manisha Khatri.
“We have decided to restrict access to the Ramkund area for the next 15-20 days due to the various works that need to be completed before the flag-hoisting ceremony,” Khatri said at a joint press conference with Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority commissioner Shekhar Singh.
The civic body has deployed five fire tenders to wash and clean Ramkund and the surrounding areas. The special cleanliness campaign also covers the Godavari ghats and Gandhi Talav, while construction debris and encroachments are being removed from public spaces.
NMC is working to complete infrastructure works across the Godaghat area, including paving and concreting. Officials said essential facilities such as public toilets must also be ready before the ceremony. A new ghat at Ramkund has been completed with stone steps, while repair work at adjoining ghats is being undertaken by the Smart City Corporation.
The closure comes as the administration moves preparations from project execution to event coordination. Singh said the Kumbh Mela Authority, district administration, police, civic agencies, public representatives, akhadas and religious organisations are working together on crowd management, pilgrim safety, transport and traffic regulation.
Meetings with akhadas and religious institutions are planned to coordinate religious and cultural programmes. Officials are also finalising arrangements for cultural events linked to the flag-hoisting ceremony.
The build-up will include a mass Shankhnad event scheduled for October 25, with organisers aiming for a Guinness World Record. The programme is also expected to feature the unveiling of a commemorative postage stamp on the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, the launch of the Kumbh Authority’s website, the release of a coffee-table book, cultural performances and a special Godavari aarti.
The temporary closure is intended to create an uninterrupted work window at one of Nashik’s most important religious and public spaces. It will also require devotees and local users to adjust access to the ghats during the restriction period. Officials have appealed to citizens to cooperate, describing the inconvenience as necessary for completing preparations before the ceremony.
Singh said the flag-hoisting ceremony would be a celebration for the entire city and urged Nashik residents to participate in the preparations. The civic body said the pending works are expected to be completed before the ceremony.
