An inter-state coordination meeting, chaired by Chief Secretary Shri Anand Bardhan, was held to ensure the smooth conduct of the Kanwar Mela scheduled to take place in Haridwar from July 30 to August 11, 2026. Senior administrative and police officials from Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh participated in the meeting.
Describing the Kanwar Yatra as one of the country’s largest religious events, the Chief Secretary accorded top priority to security, traffic management, and crowd control. It was decided during the meeting that joint check-posts would be established at state borders and that there would be a rapid exchange of information among the states. Instructions were issued to encourage Kanwar pilgrims to carry valid identity cards and to strictly enforce a ban on prohibited items.
It was explicitly clarified that the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway would not be used for the Kanwar Yatra. Emphasis was placed on coordination among cyber units to monitor rumors on social media and on making robust arrangements for crowd management at railway stations. The District Magistrate of Haridwar stated that the heaviest crowds are expected from August 8 onwards during the ‘Dak Kanwar’ phase. The administration has pledged to ensure the timely availability of all basic amenities, including sanitation, drinking water, and healthcare services
