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Welcome gates, helicopter for showering petals for kanwars in Ghaziabad

Hindustan Times, Ghaziabad | By, Ghaziabad
Jul 22, 2019 03:42 PM IST

The Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage of Lord Shiva’s devotees. During the Kanwar season, the pilgrims visit Haridwar to fetch holy Ganga water and travel back to their respective destinations.

To ensure a peaceful procession during the upcoming Kanwar season, the Ghaziabad administration and the police are taking up various precautionary measures and are also focusing on efforts to ensure cleanliness along the route.

The administration has asked gram panchayats on the route to take special measures for the Kanwariyas’ smooth passage.

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District magistrate Dr Ajay Shankar Pandey said he has formed committees of officials for every gram panchayat on the route to ensure that ‘swagat dwars’ (entry gates) are constructed. “Swagat dwars will be erected outside each gram panchayat on the route of the Yatra. The gram panchayats have been asked to ensure they are clean and to make sure that streetlights remain functional. They have also been asked to ensure that the ‘Shivalayas’ (Lord Shiva temples) are kept clean and painted properly,” Dr Pandey said.

Officials are also expecting a helicopter to be used to shower petals on devotees. The dates for the provision of the helicopter have not been finalised yet. The officials expect that about 20 lakh Kanwariyas will pass through Ghaziabad district to reach their respective destinations. The Ghaziabad police and administration have also chalked out a 39-point agenda to ensure the safety and security of the Kanwariyas.

“The police stations on the Kanwar Yatra route have been asked to prune gular trees as it is considered inauspicious if the Kanwar carried by the devotees touches the branches of the tress. Further, they will also ensure that cannabis plants are removed so that people do not indulge in their consumption,” a police officer said.

The police will also keep strict surveillance over densely populated areas with the help of drones and CCTV cameras.

“We have asked respective police stations to check the rooftops of all houses on the Kanwar route and have asked to them ensure that no stones and bricks are stored there as they could be used by anti-social elements. Meat shops along the route will also remain closed and their boards removed, as they could hurt the sentiments of the devotees,” the officer said.

The officials have also deployed quick reaction teams (QRTs) which will remain deployed on the Kanwar route.

“The QRT vehicles will also have bottles of holy Ganga water with them. In case any Kanwar being carried by Kanwariya spills, the QRT personnel will replenish it with Gangajal,” the officer added.

The Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage of Lord Shiva’s devotees. During the Kanwar season, the pilgrims visit Haridwar to fetch holy Ganga water and travel back to their respective destinations.

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