PremiumWith the Kanwar Yatra staying suspended this year, the Haridwar administration has stated that it will monitor the state borders 24-hours to ensure no pilgrim enters the district.
The month of Sawan, when the yatra takes place, began on Sunday. But the pilgrimage has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 situation. The borders of the Haridwar district have been sealed to prevent the entry of Kanwariyas.
"Restrictions on Kanwar Yatra to be implemented strictly with 24-hour duty at the border. Entry at 'Har Ki Pauri' has also been restricted. Surveillance has been increased on all routes to ensure pilgrims do not enter the state," said Abudai Krishnaraj, senior superintendent of police (SSP).
The official said that the administration has spoken to DMs across the state to arrange shuttle buses for pilgrims entering (despite restrictions).
"They will be respectfully taken to a nearby temple to offer water and will be sent back," Krishnaraj added.
Further, no Kanwar markets will also be set up along the banks of river Ganga at Har Ki Pauri.
The district administration had recently ordered the Har Ki Pauri ghat to be sealed with barricades from 24 July and 6 August.
The decision was taken during the inter-state border meeting held in Haridwar that was attended by officers from Uttar Pradesh, Himachal, Punjab, Delhi and Haryana.
"All travellers, as well as trains and buses going for Kanwar Yatra, have been barred. However, other tourists can still enter areas like Mussoorie, Nainital and Rishikesh as long as they have their negative RT-PCR test reports with them and have registered at Smart City portal," Uttarakhand director general of police Ashok Kumar said.
"Forces are deployed across all borders of Haridwar and at other smaller places as well. Strict action will be taken against those who misbehave," the DGP said.
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Delhi have also banned the Kanwar Yatra this year to avoid overcrowding and prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage in which devotees of Lord Shiva travel by foot or via other means to collect sacred Ganga water from Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttrakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to offer at Shiva shrines in their respective regions.
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