Dehradun: Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan on Monday reviewed preparations for the Kanwar Yatra 2026, scheduled to be held from July 30 to August 11, and directed all concerned departments, District Magistrates, and Senior Superintendents of Police to complete arrangements well in advance. The review meeting focused on security, traffic management, healthcare, and essential public facilities.
The Chief Secretary noted that pilgrim numbers are expected to peak during the Panchak period (July 31–August 4). He directed officials to strengthen route planning, crowd management, and traffic arrangements accordingly. He also instructed departments to ensure adequate availability of drinking water, mobile toilets, regular sanitation, waste collection, fogging, insecticide spraying, and street lighting along the Kanwar routes and at major resting points.
The Health Department was directed to establish temporary sector hospitals, first-aid centres, Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances, and bike ambulances along the pilgrimage route. Officials were also instructed to expand and repair parking facilities for vehicles entering Haridwar and complete road improvements, barricading, and cleanliness work along the National Highway at the earliest.
The Chief Secretary asked UPCL (Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited) to conduct an audit of electricity supply along the pilgrimage routes and develop a permanent power infrastructure for future editions of the Yatra.
He also directed the Food Safety Department to carry out regular inspections and sample testing at hotels, roadside eateries, community kitchens (Bhandaras), temporary food stalls, and dairy product vendors to ensure food quality and public health.
The meeting also emphasized maintaining law and order, organizing an inter-state coordination meeting with neighbouring states at the earliest, and strengthening coordination among all agencies for the smooth conduct of the Kanwar Yatra.
The review meeting was attended by Secretaries Shailesh Bagauli, Nitesh Kumar Jha, Vinod Kumar Suman, Dheeraj Garbyal, Garhwal Commissioner Anand Swaroop, and District Magistrates and senior police officers from Haridwar, Dehradun, Pauri, and Tehri.
