Route violations by Kanwadias pose safety risks, disrupt traffic in Haridwar

Monday, 29 JULY 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN

Many Kanwadias have been allegedly resorting to inappropriate methods such as tearing down tin sheets, jumping over railings, climbing dividers and leaping over boundary walls to access the national highways rather than going on routes predetermined for them by the authorities in Haridwar. The Kanwad Yatra is currently at its peak, with the number of Kanwadias increasing rapidly each day. The police have identified certain routes for Kanwadias in Haridwar to ensure they can travel along with their Kanwads without any inconvenience. The police also diverted several routes accordingly. However, many Kanwadias are violating these designated paths which is causing significant issues for the police. According to the officials, Kanwadias are resorting to inappropriate methods to access seemingly empty roads and the national highways. When attempts are made to stop them, many of them resort to unnecessarily confronting the police. In some instances, Kanwadias even claimed that they could not turn back with their Kanwads after reaching a certain point as per religious tradition and insisted on staying or proceeding via the same route. These violations not only disrupt the traffic on main roads but also pose a constant risk of accidents or damage to the Kanwads. The officials said that the police are deployed at all duty points and directing Kanwadias to follow the specified routes. However, this has led to occasional confrontations between the police and the Kanwadias. Some Kanwadias have also been caught on drone cameras near the VIP Ghat, jumping over railings to reach the ghat from the cable bridge and the high bridge. These actions were captured by a drone flying at a height of approximately 300 metres. The Haridwar senior superintendent of police Pramendra Dobhal said that it is crucial for Kanwadias to understand that the entire arrangement is designed to ensure their safety and the safe transport of their Kanwads to their destination. The coordinated efforts by the authorities aim to facilitate a smooth and secure pilgrimage experience for everyone involved. “We appeal to them to cooperate with the police and carry out their pilgrimage peacefully and follow rules for their own and the public’s safety,” he said.