Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): The preparations for the mega international religious event, Simhastha Mahaparva-2028, are likely to get a definite shape during a high-level meeting convened at Vikramaditya Sankul Bhavan, here on Sunday at 10 am. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will review the proposed projects and works during the meeting. ACS and Ujjain divisional in-charge Rajesh Rajora, and senior officials of Ujjain and Indore divisions will also remain present.
As per the recommendations of the report submitted by the Simhastha Fair administration based on the experiences of the Simhastha Mahaparva-2016 and looking at the preparations for the ensuing mega event, various suggestions were given. Coincidently, the present government is considering this report as a guiding force, though preparations for the coming Simhastha are still delayed as compared to the previous one. At that time, a sub-committee of the MP Cabinet was formed on October 13, 2011, to clear all proposals and make budget allocations for the projects and works related to Simhastha Mahaparva-2016.
In the report, it was suggested that major works and projects which are permanent should be launched by the financial year 2020-2021, but this could not be executed as yet in the absence of provision of a separate budget for the Simhastha Mahaparva-2028. Works related to the construction of railway over-bridges, railway under-passes, river bridges, construction of four to six-lane roads on all six major approach roads to Ujjain, widening of inner and outer roads, construction of riverfront corridor on either side of Kshipra river, construction of big dams on rivers Kshipra, Gambhir and Chambal, diversion of Kanh river’s polluted water, construction of Central Simhastha Fair Authority office between Harsiddi Chouraha and Chardham Mandir, etc, were considered crucial for the launch of preparations well in advance.
Presently, the Simhastha Fair Authority building is occupied by the Smart City administration. There is hardly any staff including in-charge deputy-collector appointed to look after the preparations. The government has yet not appointed anybody as president of Simhastha Mela Pradhikaran and chairman of Central Simhastha Fair Organising Committee. Previously, all such arrangements were made well in advance. Moreover, an exercise to construct an inner ring road between Dewas Road to Indore Road via Government Engineering College was launched and the then CM also laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Zero Point Railway Over-bridge in 2011.
Nevertheless, CM Mohan Yadav looks quite sincere in launching the preparations properly. He had taken a primary meeting of concerned departments in the last week of December and directed the ACS Rajesh Rajora to expedite the preparations. In turn, Dr Rajora directed all concerned officials of Ujjain and Indore divisions to prepare shelf projects and works for Simhastha Mahaparva-2028. It is expected that CM during Sunday’s high-level meeting in Ujjain will go through all such projects and likely approve certain proposals in the meeting.
Major works of permanent nature identified: Collector
Collector Neeraj Kumar Singh told Free Press that all major works of a permanent nature are being identified and shelf projects and works are being proposed. He said that all these efforts would pave the way for administrative, financial and technical approvals and the launch of works at ground zero in a well-planned manner. The collector also indicated that the report submitted by the Simhastha Fair administration in 2016 is also being seriously considered and works like operating the fair office and taking all stakeholders into confidence will also be executed accordingly.
