What's new
Ujjain Police launched the 'Simhastha Sarathi' training programme on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at the Police Community Hall. The first phase has begun with around 1,800 volunteers and NRS (Nagar Raksha Samiti) members. Madhya Pradesh Police plans to train 20,000 volunteers statewide, with 5,000 of them coming from Ujjain district alone.
Source: Free Press Journal, Navbharat Live — reported July 23, 2026. Later phases and final volunteer counts are subject to confirmation as training continues.
What does the training actually cover?
It's built around what volunteers will actually face on the ground. Sessions cover crowd management, traffic control, guiding devotees, first aid, CPR, and emergency response. Additional Superintendent of Police (City East) Alok Sharma inaugurated the programme and spoke about discipline and teamwork. A traffic inspector also ran sessions on crowd control and disaster response. Volunteers get a certificate once they complete the training.
Why this matters to pilgrims right now
Simhastha 2028 is expected to draw a massive crowd to Ujjain over several weeks. Trained volunteers won't replace police, but they'll be the people directing you toward the right ghat, helping if you get separated from your group, or flagging a medical emergency fast. A bigger, better-trained volunteer base means shorter waits and fewer avoidable accidents once the crowds actually arrive.
Is there an online form for the public to register as a volunteer?
No, not yet. Simhastha Sarathi is a select-then-train model. Ujjain Police is training people who are already volunteers or NRS members, not accepting fresh applications from the general public through an open portal.
If you want to get involved, contacting your local police station or NRS unit is currently the only real route in. Watch for announcements from Ujjain Police or the district administration if that changes.
Why do people think registration is already open?
Because a different, genuinely open registration just launched, for a different Kumbh. The Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority (NTKMA) opened online registrations for its 'Kumbhdoot' student volunteer programme this week, for Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2027 in Maharashtra. Students there scan a QR code and fill an online form to join, and their college sets up a "Kumbh Cell" to coordinate training.
That's a real, live, public registration process. It just isn't Ujjain's. Simhastha 2028 in Madhya Pradesh and Simhastha 2027 in Nashik-Trimbakeshwar are two separate events, run by two separate authorities, on two separate timelines. Mixing them up is where most of the confusion online is coming from.
What to watch out for
If a message or website asks for a fee, your Aadhaar number, or bank details to "confirm" your Ujjain volunteer spot, that's not how any official programme works. Private travel or news sites can be useful for general information, but they aren't government portals, whatever they claim about being "verified." The only sources that can actually announce Ujjain volunteer recruitment are Ujjain Police, the district administration, and the Madhya Pradesh government.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hitendra Tiwari
Managing Editor | Technology & Digital Strategy Specialist
Based in Ujjain, Hitendra Tiwari brings decades of newsroom discipline and cultural reporting expertise to the Simhastha Kumbh Mela Knowledge Project. Currently serving as Deputy Chief Reporter at Naidunia (Jagran Prakashan Ltd.), Ujjain, he supervises reporters, ensures fact accuracy, and maintains editorial integrity in regional news coverage. Earlier, he has worked with Rajasthan Patrika and Dainik Bhaskar in various editorial roles, strengthening copy desks and developing journalistic standards for print and digital media. Read more...
