Contractors told to deploy guards at Kumbh roadwork sites in Nashik

Nashik: The civic body has instructed contractors executing road projects across the city to deploy private security guards at work sites to prevent disruptions and ensure timely completion of works ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela.The decision follows a few incidents in which road works were allegedly halted due to interference by local public representatives.The civic administration's move came after a contractor undertaking a major road development project in the Panchavati division complained to Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) commissioner Manisha Khatri on Wednesday about repeated obstruction at the site by some local public representatives. The contractor also approached the police administration, seeking protection to continue the work without interruptions.A similar incident surfaced recently during the execution of the Ram Kal Path project in the same division.Confirming the decision, NMC chief Khatri said contractors are advised to deploy security guards at project sites not only to prevent hurdles during execution but also to curb theft of construction materials. "In view of recent incidents where road works were stalled, contractors have been instructed to deploy security guards. They have also been advised to immediately approach the police if there is any interference or obstruction at the site," she said.Khatri added that such incidents adversely impacted project timelines, particularly when several critical infrastructure works are underway as part of the city's Kumbh Mela preparations. She said uninterrupted execution of projects is essential to meet strict deadlines.On Thursday, the commissioner personally visited some of the roadwork sites in the Panchavati area where works were reportedly halted by public representatives. She remained at the sites for nearly an hour to ensure that the works resumed smoothly and instructed civic engineers and contractors to coordinate to avoid further disruptions.At present, the NMC is executing 28 major road development and strengthening projects across Nashik city at a total cost of around Rs 1,270 crore. These projects form a key part of the infrastructure upgrade planned ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, slated to be held in 2027. As per the civic body's roadmap, all these roadworks are to be completed by March 2027.Officials said stricter monitoring, coordination with police and deployment of security at sites would help ensure that projects were completed as per schedule.