The chants and conch shells fell silent in Omkareshwar on Monday as the Jyotirlinga town, usually teeming with pilgrims, observed a total bandh with locals in unison against the demolition drive linked to Simhastha 2028. Called by the Nagrik Parishad, the two-day indefinite strike was total and telling. Shutters were down from the bus stand to the temple sanctum. Hotels locked, prasad stalls empty, boats anchored and autos off roads. For devotees who travelled hundreds of kilometres, there wasn’t even a marigold garland to offer. At the heart of the unrest is fear and future. Residents allege their homes and shops — their only source of livelihood — are being marked for demolition without a clear compensation or rehabilitation plan. The demand is unanimous: ‘Dukaan ke badle dukaan, makaan ke badle makaan.’ Simhastha 2028, Ujjain’s 12-yearly Kumbh on the Shipra, has put Omkareshwar in the State’s extended development zone. The government has cleared 128 projects worth Rs 13,851 crore, including Rs 160 crore for Omkareshwar’s temple redevelopment, parikrama path and tourist hub.