Kanwar Yatra: Nearly 10,000 security personnel along with drones and CCTV cameras will guard the law and order situation during the upcoming Kanwar Yatra, Uttarakhand Director General of Police Ashok Kumar said on Monday.
Addressing an inter-state coordination meeting, Kumar said in view of the large gathering of Shiva devotees expected during the month of Shravan, drones and CCTV cameras will be used while social media will be monitored to ensure tight security arrangements.
An appeal would be made to the kanwariyas through social media to cooperate with the police and local administration in maintaining peace.
Kumar said the neighboring states are expected to publicise the prescribed routes of the yatra so that tourists and devotees visiting Chardham, Mussoorie and Dehradun do not face any problems.
The purpose of this is to ensure the safe and secure travel of kanwariyas coming from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and other places, he said.
This year, the Kanwar Yatra is scheduled to be held from July 14 to July 26 after a gap of two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘Kanwariyas’ (devotees of Lord Shiva) collect water from River Ganga at Haridwar to offer at Shiva temples in their areas as part of the yatra.
This year, Haridwar and surrounding areas have been divided into 12 super zones, 31 zones and 133 sectors for the yatra and around 9,000-10,000 security personnel will be deployed to maintain order, the Uttarakhand DGP said.
(With inputs from PTI)
