File picture of the Shipra river ghat in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Madhya Pradesh Government on Monday (November 17, 2025) revoked the proposed land pooling scheme in Ujjain, which was aimed at permanently acquiring 2,378 hectares of land to build infrastructure for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, 2028.
The move comes amid protests from various farmer organisations and a day before a planned major agitation in Ujjain on Tuesday (November 18, 2025).
The decision was taken late on Monday (November 17, 2025) by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav after he held a meeting with senior officials and representatives of various farmer bodies, including the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh that has been objecting to the scheme and had called for Tuesday’s (November 18, 2025) agitation — ‘Ghera Dalo, Dera Dalo’.
“Chief Minister Mohan Yadav held a meeting with representatives of the Kisan Sangh, BJP office-bearers, public representatives from Ujjain and officials of the Ujjain district administration to discuss preparations for the Simhastha. The meeting reached a consensus to make the Simhastha a divine, grand and world-class event, ensuring that the interests of saints and farmers are given top priority,” the government said in a statement.
“Following the discussions, it was decided to cancel the Simhastha land pooling. Mr. Yadav directed the Urban Administration and Development Department and the district administration to issue the necessary orders,” it added.
The scheme was introduced in 2024 with an aim of building a permanent Kumbh city with an investment of ₹2,000 crore and making permanent infrastructure, including roads, ashrams for saints and akhadas, electricity infrastructure, underground drainage system, hospitals, and government.
Until now, the government used to build temporary infrastructure for Simhastha Kumbh Mela, that takes place every 12 years in Ujjain. The scheme was seen as an ambitious attempt by Mr. Yadav, who is an MLA from Ujjain, to transform it into a major pilgrim city.
The move, however, has met with constant opposition from hundreds of farmers from the region. The BKS had also led a major tractor rally in Ujjain in September in protest of the scheme.
Meanwhile, the BKS has now called back its planned agitation on Tuesday (November 18, 2025).
The government expects more than 12 crore devotees to visit Ujjain during the month-long Simhastha scheduled in 2028. In the previous edition of the Mela in 2016, the footfall was more than seven crore, as per reports then.
Published – November 18, 2025 12:55 am IST
