The Delhi government is gearing up for the annual Kanwar Yatra with a comprehensive plan aimed at ensuring the safety and convenience of pilgrims travelling through the national capital.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta chaired a meeting to assess preparations for the religious pilgrimage and instructed officials to ensure that Kanwariyas have access to essential services around the clock. The arrangements will include sanitation, medical assistance, drinking water, electricity and other civic facilities at camps established for devotees.
The government also plans to install several welcome gates along the routes and organise flower showers to greet pilgrims as they pass through Delhi. Officials have been asked to strengthen traffic regulation, security and other public services ahead of the yatra.
Describing the Kanwar Yatra as an expression of India's cultural traditions and communal harmony, Gupta said Delhi would welcome devotees with respect and ensure that they receive adequate facilities and protection during their journey through the city.
The review meeting, held at the Delhi Secretariat, was attended by Tourism Minister and Kanwar Committee chairman Kapil Mishra, along with committee members and MLAs Ajay Mahawar, Anil Sharma, Karnail Singh, Sanjay Goyal and Umang Bajaj. Senior officials from several government departments also participated.
To make the process easier for Kanwar committees, the administration has introduced a single-window mechanism through which organisers can seek necessary permissions and access government services without having to visit multiple departments. Gupta asked officials to maintain regular communication with the committees and respond to their specific requirements.
Healthcare arrangements will be available at the various camps, with doctors and medical staff scheduled to work in shifts to provide continuous assistance. Authorities have also reviewed security and traffic plans for the routes used by pilgrims.
The Chief Minister directed officials to complete preparations for barricading, traffic diversions, deployment of police control room personnel and measures to prevent accidents well before the pilgrimage begins.
The Kanwar Yatra traditionally involves devotees travelling to Haridwar to collect holy water from the Ganga before carrying it back to offer at Shiva temples. With thousands of Kanwariyas expected to pass through Delhi, the government said it is working to ensure a safe and orderly journey for pilgrims throughout their time in the capital.