Delhi reconstitutes Kanwar committee, Kapil Mishra named chairman

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday reconstituted the high-level Kanwar Committee ahead of the annual Kanwar Yatra, appointing Culture and Law Minister Kapil Mishra as its chairman. The Chief Minister directed departments to ensure smooth arrangements for lakhs of devotees expected to pass through the Capital during the pilgrimage season.

The committee has been tasked with coordinating preparations related to traffic management, security, medical services, electricity, water supply, and facilities at Kanwar camps during the Shravan month. Five BJP MLAs, Ajay Mahawar, Anil Sharma, Karnail Singh, Sanjay Goel, and Umang Bajaj, have been inducted as members of the panel.

Announcing the decision, the Chief Minister said the Delhi Government would continue to provide assistance to Kanwar camps and ensure improved arrangements for pilgrims this year as well. She said the yatra was not merely a religious gathering but also a reflection of India’s cultural traditions and social harmony.

“The government’s objective is to ensure that every Kanwariya entering Delhi is treated with dignity and provided proper facilities,” the Chief Minister said.

The Kanwar Yatra sees lakhs of devotees carrying holy water from the Ganga to offer at Shiva temples during Shravan. Delhi serves as a major transit route for pilgrims travelling through neighbouring states, leading to large-scale temporary camps and traffic diversions across the city every year.

Officials said the newly formed committee will soon begin meetings with district magistrates, Delhi Police, the Public Works Department, the Health Department, and other agencies to review preparedness.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the focus areas this year will include route planning, installation of waterproof tents, uninterrupted electricity and water supply, deployment of medical teams, and strengthening of security arrangements.

The government said it intends to avoid administrative delays and ensure coordination between departments well before the pilgrimage begins. The announcement also highlighted the expansion of facilities provided to Kanwar camps over the past year. The government said the number of approved camps rose sharply in 2025 after changes were made in the approval process.

While 170 camps had been approved in 2024, the number increased to 374 registered camps in 2025 following the introduction of a simplified registration mechanism, officials said. The government also discontinued the earlier tender-based funding system for camps and shifted to direct financial transfers through the Direct Benefit Transfer mechanism. Under the revised arrangement, registered camps received financial assistance ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 11 lakh directly into their bank accounts.

Officials said 50 per cent of the approved amount was released in advance before the event to help organisers begin preparations on time. The Delhi Government also provided up to 1,200 units of free electricity to each registered camp and reduced the security deposit for temporary power connections by 75 per cent.

Chief Minister said the arrangements reflected the government’s approach of combining religious service with administrative efficiency. She added that preparations for the yatra had now become an important part of Delhi’s public management system during the Shravan period.

Minister Kapil Mishra is expected to oversee coordination among departments and monitor ground arrangements during the pilgrimage season. Officials said the committee would also review crowd movement and emergency response systems along major Kanwar routes across the city.