PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Haridwar
Police have made additional preparations for the final three days of the Kanwad Yatra in Haridwar as authorities expect arrival of about two to three crores more Kanwadiyas. The Kanwad Yatra will conclude on July 23 during Shivratri celebration. As a large number of Kanwadiyas are expected to reach Haridwar in the coming days, the police have implemented a traffic and security plan focused on crowd control, vehicle movement and maintaining law and order.
According to Haridwar superintendent of police (Traffic) Jitendra Mehra, the biggest challenge during the final stretch is managing the influx of Dak Kanwad, which typically brings the highest footfall. He stated that the Traffic department has arranged backup parking areas outside the main city and heavy vehicles are being handled as per the outlined plan. Kanwadiyas are arriving at Har Ki Pauri after parking their vehicles at designated sites outside the main area, he said.
He informed that the police are monitoring the entire Kanwad Mela zone through CCTV cameras and drone surveillance. They are paying close attention to crowd control, road accidents, communal harmony and avoiding clashes between locals and pilgrims. Special focus is also being given to controlling the height of Kanwads, noise pollution caused by motorcycles in Dak Kanwad and ensuring smooth movement in mixed-population areas, Mehra said.
He stated that the police will act against any individual disguised as a Kanwadiya who causes disruption. He urged devotees to cooperate with the police and follow the guidelines. As per data shared by the Haridwar district administration, more than 2.5 crore Kanwadiyas have already taken Ganga water and departed between July 10 and July 19. With an estimated total footfall of over five crore this year, police expect about three crore more devotees to arrive in the final days, increasing the operational load across all departments. However, authorities and administration claimed that they have made all necessary preparations to tackle the increased footfall.
