The Nashik Municipal Corporation standing committee has approved a Rs 9.2 crore redevelopment package for the Godavari riverfront and Ramkund heritage precinct, clearing the way for civil, restoration and electrical works ahead of the 2027 Simhastha Kumbh Mela.
The project will cover the riverfront stretch between Balaji Kot and Gadge Maharaj Bridge, as well as Ramkund and Malviya Road. Its scope includes conservation and restoration of heritage temples and wadas, beautification, repairs and electrical works in one of Nashik’s most important religious and tourist areas.
The plan was initially conceived as a Rs 6.5 crore conservation project focused on historic structures around the Balaji temple area. Its scope was later expanded after consultations with an Ahmedabad-based consultancy and management agency, bringing additional riverfront and heritage locations into the project. The revised estimate is Rs 9.20 crore.
Of the total allocation, around Rs 6.37 crore has been earmarked for civil works and Rs 2.83 crore for electrical works. The project has been proposed under the Centre’s Urban Challenge Fund, according to the report on the civic body’s approval.
The riverfront package forms part of the larger Rs 146.10 crore Ram Kal Path project, which covers the Panchavati-Ramkund belt. The broader project is intended to develop the area as a major tourism destination by highlighting Nashik’s association with the Ramayana and upgrading facilities around key religious and heritage landmarks.
The larger plan includes Kalaram Temple, Sita Gufa, Ramkund and the Godavari riverfront between Ahilyabai Holkar Bridge and Gadge Maharaj Bridge. Proposed facilities include drinking water infrastructure, parking spaces, fountains, boating facilities, decorative lighting, murals, sculptures, arches and lamp pillars. Authorities have also proposed no-vehicle and no-plastic zones in parts of the heritage precinct.
The Ram Kal Path project has received Rs 99.16 crore from the Centre, while the remaining Rs 46.94 crore is to be contributed by the Maharashtra government, the Nashik Municipal Corporation and other agencies. The funding structure places the riverfront work within a wider, multi-agency redevelopment programme rather than treating it as an isolated beautification project.
The approval comes as Nashik prepares for the 2027 Simhastha Kumbh Mela, when the Panchavati and Ramkund areas are expected to receive heightened visitor attention. The immediate implementation schedule and construction milestones for the newly approved Rs 9.20 crore package were not specified in the supplied report. The civic body’s next steps will determine when work begins across the riverfront and heritage stretches.
