Nashik Municipal Corporation has moved the preparations for the October 31 Dhwajarohan ceremony at Ramkund and adjoining Godaghat into their final stage, putting medical teams, emergency facilities, flagpoles and special bus services in place for the expected arrival of sadhus, pilgrims and devotees.
President Droupadi Murmu is expected to attend the flag-hoisting ceremony and the Goda aarti on the right bank of the Godavari near Ramkund. The civic body is preparing a dedicated stage for the event, while most infrastructure work at the venue has been completed. Civic officials said the remaining work is likely to be finished by Saturday.
The arrangements are being made for the opening-related programme of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela period, which is expected to draw large crowds to the riverfront. The Nashik Municipal Corporation has also sought approval from the Kumbh Mela Authority for facilities proposed for sadhus and pilgrims attending the ceremony.
Medical preparedness is a central part of the civic plan. Doctors and other health personnel will be deployed at the venue, supported by six ambulances for immediate medical response. Indira Gandhi Hospital and Zakir Hussain Hospital, both run by the civic body, will remain on alert during the event. Beds are also being reserved at two private hospitals as a precautionary measure, according to a civic official.
The city’s public transport network will be used to manage the movement of devotees. Special city bus services will operate from different parts of Nashik to Ramkund on October 31, covering the Dhwajarohan ceremony and the evening aarti. The service is intended to ease access to the venue and support the movement of visitors during the day’s programmes.
Civic officials have inspected the ghats and the two flagpoles installed for the ceremony. A 51-foot dhwajstambh has been installed for the Kumbh Mela flag, while a 31-foot dhwajstambh will carry the Dharma Dhwaj of the Nashik Purohit Sangh.
The preparations also include a mass Shankhanaad programme on the banks of the Godavari on the Sunday before the ceremony. More than 500 participants are expected to blow conch shells simultaneously as part of an attempt to set a world record. The programme is planned as one of the attractions connected with the October 31 celebrations.
The remaining venue works, approval for proposed pilgrim facilities and the deployment of transport and medical services are the next operational milestones before the ceremony. The civic administration’s final arrangements will determine how the riverfront handles the expected concentration of visitors on the day.
