The Uttar Pradesh government asked officials from the neighbouring states to issue identity cards to the Kanwar Yatra pilgrims from their respective regions. The request was made in preparation for the upcoming yatra, during the holy month of Sawan, for which Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath convened a high-level meeting.
Uttarakhand administration to deploy drones for surveillance
The Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP) highlighted the preparations being made by the state administration for the smooth and safe conduct of the annual pilgrimage ahead of the Kanwar Yatra. Uttarakhand DGP Abhinav Kumar said that drones would be deployed for surveillance during the Yatra and officials from the central agencies would also take part to ensure the safety and security of the devotees.
The Uttarakhand DGP expressed confidence that the Yatra would be conducted successfully. "Kanwar Mela is an important challenge for Uttarakhand police from the point of view of security, law and order, traffic management, and people's religious faith. This year, the dates have been finalized, it will go on from July 22 to August 2", DGP Kumar said. Highlighting the security management by the administration, he added, "We had an interstate meeting of police officials from 8 states on July 1 regarding this. Officials from central agencies and CAPFs have also taken part in it... This time, we will try to use drones for surveillance purposes, crowd management, and traffic management."
" The experience of our forces to successfully organise Kanwar Mela in the past, the cooperation and support that we are getting from the other states, we are sure that we will complete this Yatra well", he said.
Uttarakhand govt approves Rs 3 crore to conduct yatra
To conduct Kanwar Yatra 2024 systematically, on the instructions of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, an amount of Rs 3 crore has been approved by the government. This amount has been approved against the demand of the departments for various arrangements of Kanwar Yatra 2024 and made available to the District Magistrate Haridwar. The Chief Minister had given instructions to the officers in the review meetings held earlier to conduct the arrangements of the Kanwar Yatra.
Dhami had also directed that in view of the number of Shiva devotees who came to last year's Kanwar Yatra and the arrangements, special attention should be paid to the necessary facilities to be given to the devotees participating in the Kanwar Yatra this year, along with this, instructions have been given by him to pay special attention to peace and law and order and traffic management during this time.
The Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage, conducted by devotees of Lord Shiva, to the Hindu pilgrimage places of Haridwar, Gaumukh, and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Ajgaibinath, Sultanganj in Bhagalpur, Bihar to fetch the holy water of River Ganga. It is conducted in the month of 'Shravan', which is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Monitoring of arrangements through CCTVs, drones
Kanwar pilgrims will not be allowed to carry spears, tridents, or any weapon. There will be no ban on DJs on the Kanwar Yatra route, but the sound must be within the prescribed legal limit. The Kanwar Yatra will be monitored by CCTV and drones.
Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh mentioned that the Kanwar Yatra will start on July 22 (Monday) in the state. He stated that for security reasons, the entire route has been divided into five zones.
The CM directed the officials to ensure robust arrangements for Kanwar pilgrims' safety and convenience. Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and DGP Prashant Kumar met in Meerut with senior officials from western UP and four other states to strategise on ensuring a safe and successful pilgrimage for the devotees.
Health camps for Yatris
Health camps and Kanwar camps will be set up at various places along the route, providing resting, dining, and accommodation facilities for the pilgrims. Separate camps will be arranged for women. Health camps will also have anti-venom injections available.
Eight combined control rooms will be set up in UP and Uttarakhand, operated by officials from both states to ensure all necessary facilities for the Kanwar pilgrims. DGP Prashant Kumar said that changes have been made in the traffic system given the yatra. The entry of heavy vehicles will be banned from the routes from which the yatra starts. Additionally, heavy vehicles will be banned from midnight of July 21 on the Delhi Expressway, Dehradun Expressway and Chaudhary Charan Singh Kanwar Marg.
Police to regulate songs played by DJs
He further mentioned that the police will regulate the songs played by DJs and the sound limits during the yatra. Special security measures will be in place on the borders of Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan, with active dog squads, bomb disposal teams, IB, intelligence, and LIU teams.
As per the Supreme Court directives, there would be no ban on playing DJs on the Kanwar Yatra route, but the sound must be within the permissible limit.
Meat, alcohol shops are to be closed
Liquor and meat shops along the Kanwar route will be closed. Electric poles will be covered with polythene, and transformers with nets to prevent any accidents. Camps along the Yatra route will be set up away from highways and expressways.
DGP Kumar mentioned that officials from other states have been instructed to provide ID cards to the Kanwar pilgrims to ensure they can be contacted and assisted in case of any issues. Additionally, the villages and police stations of the groups of pilgrims should be noted.
UP govt bans 'display of arms'
Uttar Pradesh government has issued an advisory forbidding the display of weapons during Kanwar Yatras. DJs and religious songs will be played within permissible limits during the month-long Kanwar Yatra which will commence from July 22 and conclude on August 19.
DGP Prashant Kumar said that changes have been made in the traffic system in view of the Yatra. The entry of heavy vehicles will be banned on the routes from which the Yatra starts. Additionally, heavy vehicles will be banned from midnight of July 21 on the Delhi Expressway, Dehradun Expressway and Chaudhary Charan Singh Kanwar Marg.
He further said that kanwariyas are advised not to carry spears, tridents, or any kind of weapon. He said liquor and meat shops along the Yatra routes would be closed as well and the local authorities have been asked to ensure that stray animals like pigs should not be found straying onto the routes of the Yatra.
He said normal traffic on Ayodhya-Basti Road would be restricted as a huge number of devotees use it. Only ambulances and other emergency vehicles would be allowed on it. Another official said that police officials were coordinating with registered organisations and devotees who set up roadside camps to offer food, water and lodging to Kanwariyas.
UP govt to monitor Kanwar Yatra with helicopter, shower flowers on kanwariyas
The state government will monitor the upcoming Kanwar Yatra with a helicopter and also shower flowers on kanwariyas. According to the statement, Chief Secretary of the Uttar Pradesh government Manoj Kumar Singh and DGP Prashant Kumar convened a review meeting ahead of the yatra with officials of different states in Meerut Divisional Commissioner Auditorium.
The meeting was attended by senior police and administrative officials of Meerut, Saharanpur, Aligarh and Moradabad divisions along with officials from Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan. In the review meeting, the chief secretary said that the entire yatra will be monitored by a helicopter and flowers will be showered on kanwariyas like previous years, the statement said.
Singh directed the officials that good behaviour should be maintained towards the kanwariyas as it is the government's responsibility to ensure safe completion of the yatra, it said. He said that special attention should be paid towards cleanliness of Kanwar camps and route. Efforts should be made to make the yatra completely plastic-free, the chief secretary added.
Repairing electric wires, poles on yatra route
He directed the Public Works Department, NHAI officer to make sure that the entire Kanwar route is pothole-free. He also asked the concerned officers of the electricity department to repair electric wires and poles on the route so that no untoward incident occurs.
According to the statement, the chief secretary and DGP also visited Baba Aughadnath temple and took stock of the security arrangements related to the yatra. Officials of districts in western Uttar Pradesh were informed about the Kanwar Yatra proceedings through virtual medium.
DGP Kumar said that route diversions should be done for the yatra only after informing the locals. Arrangements should be made to check the quality of food items in the camp so that incidents such as food poisoning do not occur.
He also directed the officials to ensure that sound boxes on Kanwar vehicles remain within the prescribed height to prevent incidents like electrocution. DGP said that criminal elements should be closely monitored and immediate action should be taken if any suspicious activity is observed. Local officials informed that instructions have been given to the fire department officer to remain on alert during the yatra.
(With agencies inputs)
