If you're planning a trip to Mussoorie or Rishikesh from July 10, be prepared for major traffic restrictions due to the annual Kanwar Yatra. Authorities have announced a series of curbs on vehicle movement along the Delhi-Dehradun National Highway and Ganga Canal Road to accommodate the massive influx of pilgrims.
Starting July 11, heavy vehicles will be restricted from operating on these routes. From July 18 onwards, all types of vehicles will be barred from using these stretches until the conclusion of the yatra on July 23, said Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar on Tuesday.
One lane of the national highway will be exclusively reserved for kanwariyas, devotees who walk to Haridwar to collect holy water from the Ganga and offer it at Shiva temples in their hometowns.
Five Crore Pilgrims Expected For Kanwar Yatra
This year, the yatra is expected to draw over five crore devotees, making it one of the largest religious gatherings in the country. To ensure crowd and traffic management, Muzaffarnagar district has been divided into 18 zones and 88 sectors, with 1,543 CCTV cameras installed for round-the-clock surveillance.
Organisers of kanwar camps have been instructed to install CCTV cameras and issue identity cards to all workers to tighten security.
To support pilgrims, Uttar Pradesh Roadways will run 60 special buses, while the state health department will set up 43 medical camps along the yatra route. District hospitals and health centres have earmarked 100 beds for pilgrims requiring urgent care, said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sunil Teotia.
In addition, police divers will be deployed at major bathing ghats along the Ganga, Yamuna, and Ganga Canal in Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, and Shamli, said DIG (Saharanpur Range) Abhishek, as part of efforts to prevent drowning incidents.
Authorities have appealed to the public to avoid unnecessary travel on restricted routes and cooperate with officials to ensure a smooth and incident-free yatra.
If you have plans to visit Uttarakhand during this period, consider altering your route or travel dates to avoid delays and congestion.