Nashik, April 21, 2026: Anticipating unprecedented digital demand during Simhastha Kumbh 2027, the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority (NTKMA) has initiated a comprehensive telecom preparedness exercise, bringing together top government officials and industry leaders to ensure uninterrupted connectivity during one of the world’s largest religious congregations.
At a high-level consultation workshop held in Mumbai, senior officials, led by Chief Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal, deliberated with key stakeholders on building a resilient and scalable telecom infrastructure capable of supporting peak-day footfalls of nearly 2.25 crore pilgrims across Nashik and Trimbakeshwar.
The meeting saw participation from leading telecom and technology players, including Airtel, Reliance Jio, BSNL, Vodafone Idea, Tata Communications, Nokia, Hughes Communications, Indus Towers, C-DOT and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, along with representatives from the Department of Telecommunications.
Simhastha Kumbh 2027 is expected to attract over 12 crore devotees between June 15 and September 30, 2027. Ensuring seamless connectivity across two key locations—Nashik and Trimbakeshwar—separated by 31 kilometres, particularly during the monsoon season, has been identified as a critical operational priority.
Discussions focused on deploying a five-layer connectivity architecture aimed at eliminating communication blackouts. The proposed framework includes large-scale augmentation of public mobile networks using 5G technology, network slicing, and deployable infrastructure such as Cells on Wheels. It also envisages a dedicated government-owned secure network for administrative and security operations, alongside mission-critical communication systems for police, disaster response forces, and emergency services.
To further strengthen the backbone, the plan incorporates redundant fibre networks, IP-based backhaul systems, and satellite connectivity as a fallback during terrestrial network failures.
The telecom infrastructure will serve as the foundation for the broader “Digital Kumbh” initiative, which includes an Integrated Command and Control Centre, AI-powered crowd management systems, drone-based surveillance, and a multilingual mobile application for pilgrims.
The outcomes of the consultation will shape a detailed implementation roadmap, with phased execution scheduled to begin ahead of the ceremonial flag hoisting on October 31, 2026.
