Simhastha Kumbh Mela: Nashik municipal corporation to develop Sadhugram on 1,000 acres

Nashik: The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC), anticipating a significant increase in the number of sadhus for the 2026-2028 Simhastha Kumbh Mela, has decided to expand Sadhugram to 1,000 acres.
The Sadhugram, situated in Nashik's Tapovan area, serves as accommodation for sadhus during the Kumbh Mela that is held every 12 years. For the 2015 event, Sadhugram covered around 350 acres. The initial expansion plan was 500 acres, but with around 7 lakh sadhus expected to come in 2027 (up from 2.5 lakh in 2015), the civic body has increased the development area to 1,000 acres.
Of this total area, 350 acres in Tapovan is already designated as a no-development zone for Sadhugram. The NMC currently owns about 100 acres of this land and leases the remaining land from private owners annually during the Mela. The civic body now intends to acquire the remaining 250 acres for permanent development.
As a financially viable alternative to monetary compensation, the civic body is pursuing the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) model to acquire the required land.
"We have already sent a proposal to state govt for approving attractive an TDR to the landowners so that they can surrender their lands to the civic body for the Sadhugram. This is better than giving compensation in cash as it will not be affordable for the civic body. We are yet to get the state's nod," an NMC official said.
The proposal aims to encourage landowners to willingly hand over their land by offering TDR benefits, which can be used for development in other areas of the city.
During a recent review meeting of the Kumbh Mela preparations, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the authorities to initiate projects that would require over two years to complete. In line with this directive, the NMC has begun laying the groundwork for long-term infrastructure projects.