Delhi’s Home and Power Minister Ashish Sood on Thursday chaired a high-level review meeting on the upcoming Kanwar Yatra – 2025. He said the government is committed to ensure that the pilgrims are able to perform their religious rituals with dignity and devotion.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Delhi Police, Urban Development, DUSIB, Delhi Fire Services (DFS), Delhi Home Guards, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Power distribution Companies, Disaster Management Authority, and other concerned agencies.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Sood said it is the first major religious event under the current government, with thousands of devotees expected to arrive from different states.
He assured that the government would ensure all necessary facilities for the pilgrims during their passage through the national capital.
Sood announced that Kanwar organizing committees will be provided with all necessary administrative support at a single point.
A single-window system will be set up at the District Magistrate’s office to facilitate approvals and permissions from various departments in a streamlined manner, he added.
He further informed that the safety, service, and convenience of the lakhs of devotees entering Delhi during the Yatra will be a top priority.
All the concerned departments will ensure that the pilgrims face no inconvenience on their designated routes, and arrangements related to sanitation, drinking water, uninterrupted electricity supply, and traffic management will be made in a timely, coordinated, and effective manner.
Sood instructed Power Department officials to ensure that any issues related to electricity disruptions or leakage risks during rains are addressed promptly during the Yatra days.
Additionally, he directed officials from the MCD, Urban Development, Power Department, and other agencies to identify rest points along the Yatra route and ensure proper facilities such as cleanliness, toilets, drinking water, and adequate lighting.
The Power Department has also been asked to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply along the route and at camp sites.
He informed that the Delhi Police has been directed to deploy an adequate number of male and female personnel along the Yatra routes and at camps to maintain law and order and manage traffic efficiently.
Sensitive points along the route will be equipped with permanent barricading to ensure that pilgrims stay on designated paths and avoid unauthorized intrusions.
He also directed the police to monitor sound systems in camps located near residential areas and ensure that devotional songs played over loudspeakers are limited to permitted hours to avoid disturbing local residents.
Police personnel have been asked to politely request pilgrims to avoid playing loud music late at night.
Coordination with police forces of neighboring states has also been advised to ensure the safety and welfare of the pilgrims.
The DFS has been instructed to prepare a plan for deploying small fire tenders near Kanwar camps to respond quickly in case of fire-related emergencies and prevent any mishaps.