Pune: Bhimashankar Temple to Remain Shut During Mahashivratri Amid Redevelopment Push
Pune, 13th February 2026: In a key administrative decision linked to preparations for the 2027 Simhastha Kumbh Mela, the Pune district administration has announced that Bhimashankar Temple will remain closed to devotees during the upcoming Mahashivratri festival due to ongoing large-scale redevelopment work.
District Collector and Magistrate Jitendra Dudi said the closure follows a detailed review of works being carried out under the Bhimashankar Development Plan, which focuses on crowd management and infrastructure upgrades ahead of the Nashik Kumbh 2027.
With lakhs of pilgrims expected to visit Nashik and Trimbakeshwar during the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, and many likely to extend their pilgrimage to Bhimashankar, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, authorities are preparing for an estimated daily footfall of nearly one lakh devotees.
Major works underway include:
-Construction of a new grand sabhamandap (assembly hall)
-Development of secure entry and exit systems
-Upgradation of step access routes
-Creation of enhanced crowd management infrastructure
The old sabhamandap has already been dismantled to facilitate the new construction.
Initially, officials had planned a three-month closure while keeping the temple open during Mahashivratri (February 12–18, 2026) to accommodate devotees. However, due to intensive stone masonry work and the presence of heavy construction materials and equipment within the temple premises, authorities concluded that reopening during the festival would pose significant safety risks.
Given the temple’s challenging terrain and heavy expected footfall, allowing darshan during active construction was deemed unsafe.
Officials also noted that Bhimashankar experiences heavy monsoon rainfall between June and September, restricting construction activity. Completing critical works during the available dry period is therefore essential to meet Kumbh-related timelines.
Accordingly, the temple will remain closed for regular darshan from February 12 to February 18, 2026, including the Mahashivratri festival.
Collector Dudi has appealed to devotees and local residents to cooperate with the temple trust, district administration, and police authorities. Officials emphasised that the temporary inconvenience is intended to ensure long-term safety, improved infrastructure, and better crowd management for future pilgrims.
Authorities reiterated that the redevelopment aims to create a safer and more organised pilgrimage experience ahead of the massive influx expected during Kumbh 2027.
