Haridwar witnessed a tourist influx of 1.2 million on Friday on the occasion of Kartik Poornima and Guru Purab. This is the second highest after Mahakumbh held earlier this year which attracted nearly 9.1 million pilgrims.
Pilgrims were seen thronging ghats since early morning to take a dip in the holy Ganga. However, amid fears of a possible third wave of Covid-19 infections, the pilgrims could be seen flouting Covid-19 protocol without masks and with little regard for social distancing norms.
During Mahakumbh in April, pilgrims had violated Covid-19 guidelines which later contributed to the spread of Covid-19 in Uttarakhand and led to a second wave in other states after pilgrims and tourists started returning.
According to Senior Superintendent of Haridwar Police, Yogendra Singh Rawat, the Kartik Poornima bath attracted around 12 lakh pilgrims from Kumaon division, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and other states.
“Elaborate security, traffic and pilgrim management measures were put in place. The whole Mela sector was bifurcated into 9 zones and 32 sectors. In the wake of a terror threat, 2 bomb disposal squads, sniffer squads, a mounted cavalry unit, Provincial Armed Constabulary and local intelligence unit personnel as well as traffic police personnel were deployed in the area. The police also urged pilgrims to adhere to standard operating procedures,” said Haridwar SSP Yogendra Singh Rawat.
“Post the decline in Covid-19 cases and double vaccination progressing on war footing, pilgrims are now feeling much safer to venture to places of pilgrimage,” said Pradeep Jha, president of Ganga Sabha which manages the affairs of the sanctum sanctorum of Brahamkund, Har-Ki-Pauri.
