Ujjain’s Dewas Gate bus stand was closed on October 12, with all bus services shifted to alternative locations as the administration begins traffic and infrastructure preparations for Simhastha 2028.
The stand remained empty on the first day of the closure, and officials said bus operators cooperated with the order. Regional Transport Officer Santosh Malviya said teams were deployed at Dewas Gate, Nanakheda, Kanipura Road and Mandi Chauraha to monitor the transition.
“All bus operators have extended their cooperation to us,” Malviya said, according to the Times of India.
The closure was publicly announced on October 9. The order was issued by the regional transport authority and the Ujjain divisional commissioner after consultations with government departments and bus operators. Buses found operating from Dewas Gate can face court action, cancellation of permits and registrations, and challans, officials said.
The move is intended to support preparations for Simhastha 2028, when large crowds are expected in the city. Road widening, an elevated bridge and other construction works are currently under way, and authorities have said removing bus operations from Dewas Gate will help ease traffic during the infrastructure phase.
Nanakheda will serve as the principal replacement bus stand. The existing facility, spread over 1.689 hectares, is to be developed by the Ujjain Municipal Corporation with parking, drinking water, toilets and sanitation facilities. Its management is proposed to be transferred to the civic body. Lok Seva buses that previously operated from Dewas Gate will also run from Nanakheda.
The transport arrangements will be divided across several locations. Services to Maksi and Tarana will operate from vacant land near Makodiya Aam on Agar Road. Buses on the Indore Road route will use Nanakheda, while Badnagar Road services will operate from Mullapura. All buses will use the bypass, according to the transport department.
Sleeper coaches will operate from the ground opposite the Engineering College and, temporarily, from the rear of Nanakheda. The administration is also planning additional bus stands, though the report did not specify their locations or completion timelines.
The change shifts Ujjain’s bus operations from a central stand to a distributed system of terminals and temporary operating points. For passengers, the immediate effect will be the need to identify the correct departure location based on route, while the administration will have to coordinate facilities, traffic movement and sanitation across the replacement sites.
Officials said monitoring teams would remain active during the transition. The civic infrastructure at Nanakheda and the planned additional stands will determine how the arrangement functions as construction activity and preparations for Simhastha 2028 continue.
