Hotels, roads and the race against time: Inside Ujjain’s Simhastha 2028 makeover

Ujjain, a city renowned for its temples, ghats, bazaars and British-era offices, is rapidly transforming to prepare for the 2028 Simhastha Mela. The administration has approved 128 projects worth around Rs 13,851 crore across 10 departments, leading to significant changes in the city's infrastructure.

On September 27, the Shahi Masjid, a historic mosque, faced the threat of demolition due to a proposed road alignment. The administration's rapid pace has not gone unnoticed, resulting in protests from residents who felt they were not consulted. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who has made Simhastha his defining project, personally demolished part of his grandfather's ancestral home in Abdalpura.

The most visible changes are witnessed on Ujjain's roads. The Ujjain-Indore six-laning project, estimated at Rs 1,692 crore, and a separate Indore-Ujjain greenfield four-lane corridor, estimated at Rs 2,935 crore, are under construction. A 98.73-km Ujjain-Jaora greenfield four-lane corridor, costing around Rs 5,017 crore, received its foundation stone in July.

The government is also building approximately 29.2 km of new ghats along the Shipra river, stretching from the Shani temple area towards the Nagda bypass. In addition, more than 10 five-star hotels are either coming up or planned in Ujjain, alongside smaller hotels and guest houses.

The transformation is not without its challenges. The administration's swift actions have eroded trust among residents, with many feeling that their concerns were not taken into account. Despite the changes, the sheer scale of the undertaking is evident, as Ujjain prepares to become a modern pilgrimage city.