India, Oct. 8 -- The state government has appointed Shekhar Singh as the commissioner of Kumbh Mela in Nashik. Seven other IAS officers were also transferred on Tuesday.

Singh was previously the commissioner of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he served as the district collector of Satara until 2022. As Kumbh Mela Commissioner, Singh is tasked with the responsibilities of avoiding stampedes and maintaining a smooth flow of the crowd of devotees.

The Kumbh Mela will be held in Nashik and Trimbakeshwar in 2026 and 2027. The state has also constituted a Kumbh Mela authority similar to the Prayagraj Mela authority in Uttar Pradesh.

M Devendra Singh, the district collector of Ratnagiri, has been appo...