Sambhal: The Sambhal administration has repaired more than 130 km of Kanwar Yatra routes and made them pothole-free to ensure barefoot devotees do not face inconvenience during the annual pilgrimage. With the holy month of Shravan beginning on Thursday, the district administration has also stepped up security and surveillance, deploying more than 2,000 police personnel and installing thousands of CCTV cameras across important routes, temples and other sensitive locations. Officials said the preparations are part of a “zero-error” action plan aimed at ensuring a safe and smooth Kanwar Yatra. According to the administration, the Public Works Department has repaired 130.33 km of roads used by Kanwariyas. Special attention has been given to stretches where devotees are expected to walk barefoot while carrying holy Ganga water. Electrical infrastructure along the routes has also been checked to reduce the risk of accidents. The power department has covered 1,775 electricity poles, barricaded 233 transformers and tightened loose overhead wires at 225 locations. Another 37 leaning electricity poles have been repaired.

District Magistrate Ankit Khandelwal said security arrangements have been strengthened across Sambhal to make the pilgrimage hassle-free and incident-free. A total of 12,456 CCTV cameras have been linked with an Integrated Command and Control Centre to keep a close watch on movement across the district. Sambhal has been divided into five security zones, while nine special magistrates have been deployed along major Kanwar routes. Magistrates will also remain on duty in shifts across all 17 police station areas and at major Shiva temples. The police deployment includes 2,017 personnel, five circle officers, 34 station house officers and inspectors, 144 sub-inspectors and 144 constables. Security personnel have also been stationed at 77 pickets and barriers. Police assistance centres, rooftop surveillance teams and additional forces have been positioned around major temples and Ganga ghats. Provincial Armed Constabulary flood units have also been deployed at river ghats. Traffic management is another major part of the plan, with the administration identifying 19 diversion points across the district. Eighteen UP-112 emergency response vehicles have been kept ready, while public address systems, watchtowers and cranes have been arranged at vulnerable locations.

Medical and emergency arrangements have also been strengthened as thousands of devotees are expected to pass through the district during the Kanwar Yatra. Special medical teams have been deployed along major routes, at Shiva temples and at five Ganga ghats — Rajghat, Sankara Ghat, Sadhumani Ghat, Asadpur Ghat and Hari Baba Bandh Ghat. Ambulances under the 102 and 108 services will remain available round the clock. Divers have also been stationed at the five major ghats, with the administration looking to maintain its record of zero drowning incidents over the past five years. Authorities are separately monitoring hotels, eateries and food establishments located along Kanwar routes. Rate lists have been made mandatory and inspections are being conducted to ensure proper arrangements for pilgrims. Fire and emergency services have also been strengthened. With road repairs, electrical safety measures, CCTV surveillance, police deployment, medical teams and traffic diversions in place, officials said the focus this year is on preventing avoidable incidents while allowing Kanwariyas to complete their journey without unnecessary inconvenience.

Traffic restrictions have come into force across parts of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh as the annual Kanwar Yatra began on Thursday with the start of the Shravan month, bringing thousands of devotees onto major roads leading towards Haridwar. Authorities expect more than four crore pilgrims to visit Haridwar during the pilgrimage period, prompting extensive security and traffic arrangements across the region. Every year, Kanwariyas travel from different states to Haridwar and nearby areas to collect holy water from the Ganga before carrying it back, often on foot, to Shiva temples in their hometowns and villages for jalabhishek. With the movement of devotees increasing, Delhi Police has deployed personnel at key locations and warned commuters about possible congestion and diversions. According to a traffic advisory issued on July 30, vehicle movement is expected to be affected on several roads in Delhi's western range because of Kanwariya movement and Kanwar camps. The affected stretches include Najafgarh Firni Road, Rohtak Road, Pankha Road, Dev Prakash Shastri Marg, Nangloi-Najafgarh Road and Outer Ring Road.

Restrictions are more extensive across western Uttar Pradesh, where authorities have introduced traffic diversions in phases. The changes are expected to affect people travelling between Delhi, Haridwar, Dehradun and Saharanpur, with longer journey times possible because of alternative routes. In Ghaziabad, police have implemented a phased diversion plan running from July 29 to August 12. Heavy goods vehicles entering Ghaziabad from Delhi have already been restricted and are being diverted through routes including the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, Ganga Expressway and Delhi-Dehradun Expressway. Security arrangements have also been stepped up in other districts along the Kanwar route. Bareilly has deployed more than 3,900 police personnel and divided the district into three super zones, nine zones, 28 sectors and 104 sub-sectors for better monitoring. Across the Meerut zone, around 25,000 police personnel have been deployed. Nearly 7,000 AI-enabled CCTV cameras, temporary police posts, barricades and integrated command centres have also been put in place. Medical facilities and relief teams have been positioned near important ghats, while liquor shops and non-vegetarian eateries have been cleared from the pilgrimage route, according to the information provided.

The biggest restrictions will be seen on the Delhi-Haridwar National Highway as the pilgrimage gathers pace. Muzaffarnagar SSP Sanjay Kumar said heavy vehicles would be barred from key routes beginning July 30. From August 4, all traffic is scheduled to be prohibited on the Delhi-Haridwar National Highway and the Ganga canal road in Muzaffarnagar, making advance route planning important for commuters. Vehicles travelling from Haridwar and Saharanpur towards Delhi will be diverted through Deoband, Pachenda, Mirapur and Mawana in Meerut before proceeding towards the national capital. Vehicles travelling in the opposite direction will use the same alternative route. Those heading from Delhi towards Haridwar or Dehradun can use the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, where authorities will discourage Kanwariyas from travelling so that regular traffic can continue. Emergency services will remain exempt from the broader restrictions. Ambulances and other emergency vehicles will be permitted to travel through restricted stretches under police escort. With the Kanwar Yatra continuing into August, commuters travelling through Delhi, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and towards Uttarakhand may need to account for diversions, congestion and additional travel time until the pilgrimage concludes.