Muzaffarnagar witnesses over 50 lakh kanwariyas during Kanwar Yatra
More than 50 lakh kanwariyas carrying holy Ganga water from Haridwar to their hometowns in Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi and various districts of Uttar Pradesh have passed through Muzaffarnagar so far during the ongoing Kanwar Yatra, officials said on Wednesday.
Talking to reporters, Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar said elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure the smooth and safe movement of pilgrims.
More than 4,000 police personnel, including teams of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), bomb disposal squad and other specialised units, have been deployed along the kanwar routes in the district, he said.
"So far, more than 50 lakh kanwariyas have passed through Muzaffarnagar en route to Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and other parts of the state. The administration estimates that nearly four crore pilgrims will pass through the district during the annual pilgrimage," Kumar said.
The number of kanwariyas passing through Muzaffarnagar has been increasing steadily, he added.
The district administration has implemented the second phase of its traffic diversion plan, under which vehicular movement has been prohibited on the Delhi-Dehradun National Highway and the Ganga Canal Road, which have been reserved exclusively for kanwariyas (Lord Shiva devotees).
Traffic has been diverted to alternative routes across the district.
The diversion has caused inconvenience to commuters, with many facing longer travel times and higher bus and taxi fares on the alternative routes.
Officials said the second phase of the diversion plan will remain in force until August 12.
The Kanwar Yatra began on July 30 and will conclude on August 11. During the annual pilgrimage, crores of devotees of Lord Shiva collect holy Ganga water from Haridwar and carry it on foot to offer at Shiva temples in their hometowns.
