Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for fuel conservation and directives from Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, the Ujjain district administration has begun a new initiative to reduce petrol and diesel consumption during official inspections. From Wednesday onwards, officials inspecting Simhastha-related works are travelling together in a single vehicle instead of using multiple government cars. 15 officials travel together in one vehicle On Wednesday morning, senior officials including Divisional Commissioner and Simhastha Mela Officer Ashish Singh, Collector Raushan Kumar Singh, Municipal Corporation Commissioner Abhilash Mishra, UDA CEO Sandeep Soni, tehsildar Alok Chore, senior engineers from the Water Resources Department, and Traffic DSP Dilip Singh Parihar—among others—travelled together in a single “Urbania” vehicle. In total, around 15 officials jointly visited the 29-km-long ghat development area being prepared for the Simhastha fair. Earlier practice: Multiple vehicles for same inspection For the past week, officials had been conducting daily inspections of Simhastha works using separate vehicles. Typically, around 15 different government vehicles were deployed each day, covering nearly 16 km of inspection routes, along with additional travel from residences to the site. Most officials used Innova SUVs, and with air-conditioning running, fuel consumption per vehicle was significantly high. How the move cuts costs Previously, each vehicle consumed around 4 litres of fuel per inspection trip, costing approximately ₹450 per car per day. With 15 vehicles in use, the daily expenditure on fuel was estimated at around ₹6,750. Under the new arrangement, officials travelled 12 km together in a single vehicle, consuming about 2.5 litres of diesel, costing less than ₹250 in total. Although the Urbania vehicle is rented at around ₹4,100 per day, officials say the move reduces fuel wastage and improves efficiency. Daily field inspections continue from early morning The administration is conducting regular early-morning inspections from 6 AM to ensure better facilities for the millions of pilgrims expected during Simhastha. Officials are identifying proposed approach roads and reviewing development works across nearly 6 km stretches while also conducting foot inspections and issuing on-site instructions. Officials call it a model for efficiency and teamwork Simhastha Mela Officer Ashish Singh said the decision aligns with the Prime Minister and Chief Minister’s vision of reducing unnecessary fuel consumption and public expenditure. He said earlier multiple vehicles caused avoidable fuel wastage, whereas the new system promotes teamwork and efficiency. Collector Raushan Kumar Singh added that the earlier convoy system also contributed to traffic congestion, which has now been reduced. He described the initiative as a “better and exemplary model” that can be replicated elsewhere. Post navigation Man shoots, stabs woman to death in Panna:Attempt to fire at brother who came to save; villagers trash accused MP teachers must clear TET, says Supreme Court:Rejects plea for further relaxation; no appointment without exam
