Madhya Pradesh Police initiated extensive preparations for the peaceful, safe, and well-organised conduct of the Simhastha Mahakumbh, scheduled to be held in Ujjain in 2028. In line with this, a high-level review meeting was held Friday at the Police Headquarters, Bhopal, chaired by Director General of Police Kailash Makwana. The crucial meeting was attended by senior officers from Police Headquarters, including Special Director General of Police, Additional Director Generals (Intelligence/Cyber, Telecommunications, Railways, Training, Planning/Management, PTRI, and SAF), IG Bhopal Rural, IG Personnel & Security, DIG SDRF, DIG ANO/Nodal Officer Simhastha, Police Commissioner Bhopal,

 

Additional Police Commissioner Bhopal, and other senior officials. Through video conferencing, ADG Ujjain Zone, Police Commissioner Indore, IGs and DIGs Indore Rural, DIG Ujjain Range, and Superintendents of Police from Ujjain, Khandwa, Khargone, Dewas, Shajapur, Dhar, Ratlam, Sehore, and Agar-Malwa also participated. A detailed presentation was given to the Director General of Police, highlighting key aspects of the Simhastha-2028 preparations: Crowd Management: Considering the potential presence of millions of devotees, route planning, parking zones, and separate entry-exit points for various ghats have been prepared. Additional forces will be deployed for security, traffic control, health assistance, and crowd management in the ghat areas. Queue systems, digital signboards, and volunteer assistance centers will also be established. Drone and CCTV Surveillance: Drone cameras will be deployed in sensitive areas.

 

High-resolution AI-enabled CCTV cameras will be installed on all major routes, bathing ghats, and crowded areas. Communication & Integrated Control Room: Field Communication Units and an Integrated Control Room (ICR) will be established for real-time monitoring. Wireless and mobile control units will remain active to strengthen the police network. Cyber Security: A cyber monitoring unit will operate to control attempts to spread rumours or engage in online fraud through digital platforms. Social media content and digital activities will be live-monitored. Law and Order & Force Deployment:

 

To ensure security, extensive deployment of Quick Response Teams (QRT), Rapid Action Force (RAF), women police, traffic control forces, and local police will be made. Nodal officers will be appointed in each sector, and mobile units will be ready for patrolling. Telecom Network Strengthening: To prevent mobile network disruptions due to the large number of devotees, plans have been made for temporary mobile towers, network boosters, and high-speed data connectivity. Home Guard and Volunteer Support: The deployment of Home Guards, NCC, Scouts, and Civil Defence volunteers will further strengthen arrangements.

 

Special Police Housing Arrangements: Special residential arrangements will be made for police personnel on duty, including temporary residential camps, canteens, health facilities, and rest areas. Accommodation and meal facilities will be provided to police personnel according to duty rosters. Considering the anticipated significant increase in the number of devotees at Omkareshwar (Khandwa district) during Simhastha, the Khandwa Superintendent of Police also presented a special strategy prepared for local security and arrangements. Drawing inspiration from the experiences of Prayagraj Kumbh-2025, Simhastha will be managed using state-of-the-art technologies.