Kumbh Mela Test for Shekhar Singh: From PowerPoint to Pilgrims’ Ground Reality

CM Fadnavis bets on a polished bureaucrat to steer Nashik’s Maha Kumbh 2027, but the real challenge lies beyond presentations.

X: @vivekbhavsar

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced a major bureaucratic reshuffle, transferring several senior IAS officers across key administrative posts. Among the most consequential moves is that of Shekhar Singh (IAS, 2012 batch), who shifts from Municipal Commissioner, Pimpri-Chinchwad, to take charge as Commissioner, Kumbh Mela Pradhikaran, Nashik — a post that will define the state’s readiness for the 2027 Maha Kumbh.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is said to have personally handpicked Singh, known for his crisp briefings and data-driven presentations before the CM and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Officials describe him as “sharp, articulate and policy-minded” — the kind of officer who can translate administrative vision into structured plans.

A senior bureaucrat remarked, “Singh has clarity, command and communication — three qualities CM Fadnavis values in every strategic appointment.”

Yet, questions persist over Singh’s on-ground record in Pimpri-Chinchwad. Despite multiple MoUs and elaborate blueprints, key civic reforms remained stuck at the planning stage. Projects in solid waste management, riverfront development, and smart mobility moved slowly, leaving a gap between projection and performance.

The Kumbh Mela, however, is an entirely different battlefield — one that demands precision logistics, crisis coordination and minute-to-minute field execution.

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As a senior official put it, “The Kumbh isn’t a PowerPoint project. It’s an endurance test in administration, crowd control and faith management. Singh will have to move from slides to sites.”

The reshuffle also underscores the CM’s direct monitoring of Nashik’s preparations for the mega event that draws millions of pilgrims and global attention.
• Dr. Manik Gursal, Metropolitan Commissioner, NMRDA, has been posted as Managing Director, Maharashtra State Cooperative Tribal Development Corporation, Nashik, with Jalaj Sharma, Collector Nashik, succeeding him at NMRDA.
• Ayush Prasad, Collector Jalgaon → Collector Nashik.
• Rohan Ghughe, CEO ZP Thane → Collector Jalgaon.
• M. Devendra Singh, Collector Ratnagiri → Member Secretary, MPCB, Mumbai.
• Sanjay Kolte, MD Shivshahi Rehabilitation Project → Sugar Commissioner, Pune.
• Manoj Jindal, Joint MD MSRDC → Collector Ratnagiri.

This re-engineering of the state’s administrative map reflects a clear message — Nashik’s Kumbh mission will be under tight political and bureaucratic supervision.

For Shekhar Singh, Nashik will be a career-defining test. The Maha Kumbh is more than a religious congregation — it’s a logistical organism involving urban design, sanitation, transport, health and digital surveillance. Every lapse will be televised; every success, political capital.

The coming two years will show whether Singh’s strength in structured presentations can evolve into visible, measurable execution.

In the end, the Maha Kumbh will not only test the faith of millions — it will test whether Maharashtra’s bureaucracy can convert PowerPoint governance into performance governance.