In a letter addressed to the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chhagan Bhujbal stressed the urgent need for air connectivity to manage the expected influx of over five crore pilgrims during the massive religious gathering scheduled to begin in October 2026
The Simhastha Kumbh Mela in Nashik will begin on October 31, 2026. File Pic
Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal has appealed to the central government to make the under-construction runway at Nashik’s Ozar Airport operational for civilian use ahead of the upcoming 2026 Kumbh Mela, reported the PTI.
In a letter addressed to the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chhagan Bhujbal stressed the urgent need for air connectivity to manage the expected influx of over five crore pilgrims during the massive religious gathering scheduled to begin in October 2026.
The Ozar Airport, primarily operated by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for defence purposes, also serves as a commercial terminal. Bhujbal has requested that the new 3,000 x 45-metre runway, currently under construction, be made available for civil flight operations on a priority basis, according to the PTI.
He noted that the airport terminal already spans 22 acres, has a built-up area of 8,267 square metres, and is equipped with ground lighting and Instrument Landing System (ILS) facilities. The DGCA had also granted night landing clearance for the airport in July 2019, as per the PTI.
Bhujbal mentioned that tenders worth Rs 343.2 crore have been floated for the parallel runway project, with an estimated completion timeline of 18 months.
Calling Nashik airport a “national asset” with the potential for dual-use (civil and defence), Bhujbal cited Prayagraj Airport’s performance during the Maha Kumbh Mela earlier this year, where over 5.5 lakh passengers and 5,229 aircraft movements were recorded during the 46-day event, the news agency reported.
Bhujbal suggested Nashik could witness similar traffic and stressed that enhanced air connectivity would be crucial for managing crowd flow, boosting tourism, and upgrading local infrastructure.
The Simhastha Kumbh Mela in Nashik will begin on October 31, 2026 with traditional Dhwajarohan (flag hoisting) at Trimbakeshwar, Ramkund, and Panchvati, and will run until 24 July 2028.
“Timely operationalisation of the runway will greatly assist in accommodating the expected surge in devotees and will prepare Nashik for hosting an event of international scale,” Bhujbal stated, the PTI reported.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had held a review meeting of the preparations for Kumbh Mela.
He had directed officials to ensure that all infrastructure projects for the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh Mela are completed on time and to the highest standards, news agency PTI reported.
At the review meeting held at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai, Fadnavis emphasised that the Nashik Ring Road project must be expedited, while land acquisition for Sadhu Gram (tent city) should progress at full pace, a statement from his office had stated.
(with PTI inputs)
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