Kanwar Yatra begins amid multi-layered security across states; over 4 crore devotees to arrive in Haridwar

New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) The ushering in of the holy month of Shravan marked the beginning of Kanwar Yatra on Thursday, July 31. Over the next fortnight ending August 11, lakhs of devotees shall journey to the banks of the Ganga in Haridwar and adjoining areas, collecting holy water in earthen pots ('kanwars') which they will carry to their native haunts, to offer at local shrines of Lord Shiva.

With the commencement of one of the largest annual pilgrimages in north India, a host of measures have been rolled out in states which are expected to witness pilgrims' movement.

At the centre of it all, Haridwar expects the arrival of more than four crore devotees over the next fortnight. Saffron-clad pilgrims have already started making their way to Ganga ghats here -- the teeming multitudes attributing a pulsating saffron hue to streets while fervent chants of "Bam Bhole" reverberated across the holy city.

The administration has made elaborate arrangements for the convenience and security of devotees in view of the expected heavy influx.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and senior officials have held meetings to review security and coordination has also been established with officials in neighbouring states to ensure smooth conduct of the pilgrimage, officials said.

Haridwar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Navneet Singh said police forces from other districts have been called in to strengthen the security grid.

In a first, 'Cyber ​​Commandos' have been deployed to monitor social media and take immediate action against misleading, fake, and AI-generated content, and coordination has been established with social media platforms and relevant agencies for this purpose.

Extensive traffic management measures have been rolled out to ensure minimum hassle for pilgrims, while several schools have been shut in Haridwar district in view of pilgrim movement, District Magistrate Mayur Dixit said.

The adminstration is taking all necessary measures to ensure facilities for Kanwar pilgrims, and the food safety department has been instructed to curb sale of adulterated food items, he added.

With lakhs of devotees -- either local or in transit -- expected to pass through Uttar Pradesh, authorities have rolled out extensive security and logistical measures for the Kanwar Yatra, deploying AI-enabled surveillance and additional security personnel, and setting up medical camps and dedicated control rooms to ensure "zero incidents and zero accidents".

On the first day of Shravan, thousands thronged the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. Temple authorities said elaborate arrangements had been arranged to handle the heavy rush.

Inspector General (Law and Order) L R Kumar said a dedicated Kanwar control room had been established at the police headquarters in Lucknow for round-the-clock monitoring of the pilgrimage.

"The control room is monitoring the movement of Kanwariyas and the law-and-order situation through live CCTV feeds, drone surveillance and field inputs from across the state. If any situation develops anywhere, immediate assistance will be coordinated," he told PTI Videos.

He said integrated command centres had been set up in every district, while quick response teams, anti-sabotage checks and social media monitoring were also part of the security grid to counter rumours and ensure prompt action.

In Muzaffarnagar, one of the busiest transit points for Kanwar pilgrims, around 4,000 police personnel, including Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and flood units, have been deployed, while extensive traffic curbs are in place to ensure uninterrupted movement of pilgrims.

Muzaffarnagar Chief Medical Officer Dr Sunil Tewatia said 45 medical camps, 78 ambulances and 14 bike ambulances had been stationed along Kanwar routes, while 100 hospital beds had been reserved for pilgrims.

At Bareilly, Chief Secretary S P Goyal and Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna reviewed preparations with senior administrative and police officers from nine districts of the Bareilly and Moradabad divisions.

Krishna said district magistrates and senior superintendents of police presented their security plans, deployment strategies and lessons learnt from previous years.

Calling the Kanwar Yatra one of Uttar Pradesh's largest religious gatherings, he said the administration had reviewed arrangements on routes, including AI-enabled CCTV surveillance, barricading, parking, traffic diversions, drinking water, lighting, medical camps, selfie points and social media monitoring.

In Ghaziabad, District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandar said comprehensive arrangements had been made to ensure a safe and orderly pilgrimage.

He said 6,970 streetlights had been installed along Kanwar routes, roads had been repaired, medical camps and ambulance services activated, while food safety teams have been instructed to inspect eateries. Adequate parking, drinking water, toilets and rest areas have also been arranged for pilgrims, he added.

With a large number of Kanwar pilgrims expected to pass through the national capital, Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory announcing restrictions on heavy vehicles and closure of key stretches Road during the peak pilgrimage period.

Delhi Police has also stepped up security arrangements across the capital to ensure smooth movement of Kanwariyas. The security grid has been strengthened citywide with additional personnel deployed along major Kanwar routes across Delhi.

"There are seven major entry points in northeast Delhi through which Kanwariyas enter the city. These routes also connect to several other districts, making them critical from both the security and traffic management perspectives. Adequate deployment has been made at all these locations," a senior police officer said.

The officer said the Delhi Police has also held coordination meetings with police authorities of neighbouring states to ensure seamless movement of devotees and a prompt response to any emergency.

Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi has written to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) commissioner demanding immediate closure of all meat shops and roadside food stalls serving non-veg items along key pilgrimage routes and near devotee camps during the Kanwar Yatra and upcoming Mahashivratri.

"Thousands of Kanwar pilgrims travel through various roads in Delhi. During this period, it has been observed that roadside shops and carts selling raw and cooked meat operate at night, which are completely illegal," Mayor Wahi wrote in the letter.

Emphasising that open consumption of non-vegetarian food on public roads causes distress to devotees, Wahi urged civic officials to act without delay. "Therefore, with immediate effect, all raw and cooked meat shops and roadside carts operating along major roads of Delhi or in vicinity of Kanwar camps during Mahashivratri and the Kanwar Yatra should be closed to ensure smooth passage for the pilgrims," the mayor said.

The civic body had also asked officials to complete all arrangements before the yatra, during which 308 Kanwar camps are scheduled to operate across the capital from July 30 to August 11, officials said.

In the satellite city of Gurugram, police are on high alert in view of the annual Kanwar Yatra, with a control room set up for round-the-clock monitoring and coordination, an official said.

As part of security arrangements, Kanwar Yatra routes will be under CCTV surveillance, with bomb disposal units, dog squad and the intelligence wing on alert to thwart any attempts to breach peace, the official said.

Continuous monitoring is being carried out along Kanwar routes, camps, and other sensitive locations, while senior officers are personally supervising the arrangements in the field. Adequate police deployment has been ensured for swift response to any emerging situation during the yatra, he added.

Barricading and dedicated lanes have been created at key locations to facilitate smooth passage of 'Kanwariyas'. Women help desks have been activated to assist female devotees.

"A special traffic management and diversion plan has been implemented to ensure smooth vehicular movement during the yatra. Additional traffic personnel have been deployed at major intersections and congested locations. Green corridors have been ensured for uninterrupted movement of ambulances and other emergency services. Cranes and recovery vehicles have also been kept on standby wherever required.