Delhi Government To Set UP 175 Camps For The Upcoming Kanwar Yatra

 Delhi government will set up 175 camps for kanwariyas to ensure that they are not inconvenienced during the upcoming Kanwar Yatra, officials said on Tuesday. The yatra is scheduled to be held from July 14 to July 26 this year after a gap of two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A huge influx of kanwariyas is being anticipated this time owing to the two-year break, they said.

Kanwariyas (devotees of Lord Shiva) collect water from the Ganga river at Haridwar, Uttarakhand to offer at Shiva temples in their areas as part of the yatra. According to officials, a meeting of various departments of the Delhi government was held here on Tuesday. It was decided that steps will be taken to ensure the safety and comfort of the kanwariyas, including setting up 175 camps for them.

Another official said the meeting saw the participation of the divisional commissioner, district magistrates of 11 revenue districts, and officials of other concerned departments, including health and irrigation and flood control. Police officials present in the meeting said after the resumption of activities following the lifting of Covid restrictions, crowds at events have increased, and therefore, a huge influx of kanwariyas is expected this time.

Meanwhile, there are 175 samitis registered with the government with most of them being concentrated in central, east, northeast, and Shahdara districts since these have entry and exit points to the capital, they said. In these districts, every two to three kilometers, there will be camps to house the kanwariyas. The samitis will make food arrangements for the kanwars while mobile toilets, health facilities, and water supply will be the responsibility of the government.

On Monday, Uttarakhand Director General of Police Ashok Kumar said that around 10,000 security personnel along with drones and CCTV cameras will be deployed to maintain law and order during the upcoming Kanwar Yatra in the state.