Overview
- The Pune district administration confirmed the shrine will remain shut to devotees from February 12 to 18, reversing an earlier exemption for the festival week.
- The closure is tied to a state-approved Special Development Plan preparing for the 2027 Simhastha Nashik Kumbh Mela.
- Major works are underway, including a new larger sabhamandap, upgraded entry and exit systems, and renovated stairway routes, with the old hall already dismantled.
- Authorities are accelerating critical tasks before heavy monsoon rains from June to September halt construction activity.
- Officials project peak footfall could reach about 100,000 daily around the Kumbh, while local vendors face income losses and the administration appeals for public cooperation.