Madhya Pradesh

• 20 Sep 2024

Indore - Ujjain Highway

Why in News?

Recently, the President of India inaugurated a key infrastructure project, Indore -Ujjain highway in Madhya Pradesh, focusing on transportation and infrastructure.

Key Points

• Indore-Ujjain Highway Foundation:
  • The President laid the foundation stone for the six-lane highway between Indore and Ujjain, estimated to cost Rs. 1,692 crore.
  • The highway, approved in February 2024, aims to reduce the travel time between the two cities from 60 minutes to 35-40 minutes.
  • This project is set to be completed in 2.5 years, targeting the decongestion of traffic ahead of the 2028 Simhastha Kumbh.
• Simhastha Kumbh:
  • The Simhastha Kumbh Mela is a Hindu religious festival held every 12 years in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India.
    • The festival is named after the Simha constellation of the zodiac, as it is celebrated when Jupiter enters Leo.

Maha Kumbh

• Kumbh Mela comes under United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
• It is the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims on earth, during which participants bathe or take a dip in a sacred river.
  • It takes place on the banks of the Godavari river in Nashik, the Shipra river in Ujjain, the Ganges in Haridwar, and the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati river in Prayagraj. The confluence is referred to as the ‘Sangam‘.
• As it is held in four different cities in India, it involves different social and cultural activities, making this a culturally diverse festival.
• The over month-long fair is marked by the construction of a massive tented township, complete with cottages, huts, platforms, civic facilities, administrative and security measures.
  • It is organized immaculately by the government, the local authorities and the police.
• The mela is especially renowned for the presence of an extraordinary array of religious ascetics enticed from remote hideaways in forests, mountains and caves.