Delhi: Roadside stalls, restaurants selling non-vegetarian food, and liquor vends along the Kanwar Yatra route in Noida and Greater Noida will be covered. According to the Gautam Buddha Nagar district administration, these businesses will be concealed with tarpaulin or something of the kind to ensure they are not visible to the yatris passing through.
“The idea is that yatris should have a seamless journey and their feelings should not be hurt. They will be carrying holy water with them, and seeing excise shops and non-veg items on their way will disturb them,” GB Nagar District Magistrate Manish Kumar told ThePrint.
More than 500 CCTV cameras have been activated, potholes are being filled, tree branches that might obstruct the yatra being trimmed, street lights being fixed and extensive cleanliness drives being conducted. This is how Noida and Greater Noida are preparing for the Kanwar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage of Shiva devotees to Haridwar, Gaumukh, and Gangotri, which will take place from 22 July to 6 August.
Speaking to ThePrint, DM Kumar mentioned that roughly 400 labourers have been hired by the district administration to prepare the route for the yatra.
“We will also be parking ambulances along the Kanwar Yatra route to ensure that in case of any emergency, yatris can be taken to the nearest hospital immediately,” DM Kumar added.
Additionally, the district administration has equipped local hospitals with snake-bite medication, as several cases of snake bites are reported during these yatras.
The administration has also conducted meetings with the priests of local temples along the route to ensure effective crowd management.
“Local temples have been cleaned, and meetings have been held with the pujaris to discuss crowd management. We have instructed the pujaris on how to handle the crowds,” said DM Kumar.
Food inspector, round-the-clock security
Besides the arrangements mentioned earlier, the GB Nagar district administration said they are also overseeing the setting up of camps along the route by social organisations.
To add to that, a food inspector will be deployed to check the quality of food being served to the yatris.
“From Lalkuan to Bulandshahr, that covers NH91 and through Chilla border, we will have police and officials from other departments deployed round the clock to ensure that no untoward activity takes place,” said DM Kumar.
The Kanwar Yatra is in the spotlight again this year after the UP government sent out a directive asking eateries, dhabas, fruit shops and tea stalls along the Kanwar Yatra route to display name plates indicating proprietors’ names. The government also said action will be taken against anyone selling products with Halal certifications.
However, GB Nagar DM Kumar said Friday that they had not received any instructions to that effect. The district administration has, however, held meetings with the head of the Kanwar groups and also issued them IDs to ensure that everything is mapped.
“We have not received any such instructions yet. But we will have around 1,000 officials including police, irrigation department, PWD, and food inspectors to ensure the yatra goes smoothly,” said an official from GB Nagar district administration who did not wish to be named.
“Earlier, stores selling non veg food and liquor were shut on the day of yatra. But this is for the first time that the shops are being concealed,” the official added.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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