The Times of India          29.11.2013

NMC identifies 23 parking areas for Kumbh

NASHIK: The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has identified 23 parking areas, including three large ones, in the city in view of the Kumbh mela scheduled in 2015-16.

Traffic management will be a major challenge for the administration as around 75 lakh people are expected to visit the city during the mela, particularly on auspicious days for the holy dip.

A senior NMC official told TOI, "We have planned 23 parking areas within the limits of the municipal corporation. Three large parking areas have been finalized. Though we have identified locations for the remaining 20 parking areas, they are yet to be finalised. All the parking areas will be along the roads."

The official added: "The three large parking areas will be set up at Mhasarul, Peth Road and Adgaon. The total area of these three parking sites will be 78 hectares, with an estimated capacity to accommodate around 30,000 vehicles.

The Mhasarul parking are will come up on 18 hectares of land in survey numbers 34 and 35, with a capacity to park 6,900 vehicles at a time. Another large parking area will come up on 20 hectares along the Peth Road in survey numbers 384, 385, 386, 387 and 390, and survey number 391 in Makhmalabad Shivar. It will have a parking capacity of 7,580 vehicles. The third large parking area will come up on 40 hectares of land at Adgaon with a capacity of 15,160 vehicles.

The Kumbh mela is scheduled to commence on July 14, 2015, after hoisting of the Simhastha flag. The first 'shahi snan' (royal bath) will take place on August 29, while the second and third shahi snans will be on September 13 and 18. The flag will be lowered on August 11, 2016, which will mark the end of the Kumbh mela.