The Times of India              24.05.2013

NMC finalises land acquisition for widening of Shahi Marg

NASHIK: The standing committee of the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Thursday gave its nod to acquire land for widening of the old Shahi Marg, the route taken by sadhus from Tapovan - where they stay - to Godavari for the holy dip during the Kumbh mela.

The civic administration will soon send the proposal to the district collector, who will commence with the land acquisition procedure.

Presently, the width of the existing Shahi Marg, which stretches from Tapovan to Godavari via Nag Chowk, Kalaram Temple and Sardar Chowk, varies from 4.5 metres to 6 metres at different locations. The marg is to be widened from 9 metres to 15 metres depending on the area.

The proposal of land acquisition presented at the standing committee for the widening project, include the 12-metre road from Panchamukhi Hanuman mandir to Shrikrishna ice factory, 9-metre road from Sardar Chowk to Kalaram Mandir East door, 15-metre road from Kalaram Mandir to Nag chowk to Katya Martuti Chowk and 12-metre road from Ramkund to Malviya Chowk to Katya Maruti - marked in the development plan of the standing committee.

Speaking to TOI, a senior official of the civic body said, "We will send the proposal to the district collector after we get a copy of the resolution on the acquisition of land from the standing committee of the municipal corporation. The district collector will then start the process. The land acquisition and widening of Shahi Marg is expected to take place before the Kumbh mela begins."

29 pilgrims were killed at Sardar chowk on the Shahi Marg in a stampede during the last Kumbh mela in 2003 in Nashik. The state government had appointed an enquiry committee, headed by then divisional commissioner of Aurangabad V Ramani, to probe into the stampede. The committee in its report had suggested the widening of the Shahi Marg. But, even after a decade, no action had been taken either by the civic body or the district administration. Municipal commissioner Sanjay Khandare, who took charge last year, has finally taken initiative for widening of the road to avoid any untoward incident during the coming Kumbh.

Before the 2003 Kumbh, a new Shahi Marg was created, but

which runs parallel to Godavari river from Tapovan to Ramkund.

the sadhus refused to take the new route on the grounds that it passed near a cemetery.

which is inauspicious. The NMC had apparently not consulted the sadhus before creating the new Shahi Marg.