Tight security smooth darshan ensured for Kanwariyas UP govt

     Varanasi/Muzaffarnagar (UP), Jul 21 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday said it has made special arrangements to ensure stringent security and smooth darshan for devotees as the holy 'Sawan' month begins from Monday.
     Spanning from July 22 to August 19, this special period for the worship of Mahadev will include five Mondays. During 'Sawan', a large number of devotees travel from various places with 'kanwars' to perform 'jalabhishek' of Lord Shiva.
     Sharing details about security arrangements in Varanasi, officials said the area from Maidagin to Godowlia will be a no-vehicle zone on Monday. Arrangements have been made to transport the elderly and differently-abled to the temple by e-rickshaws from both locations.
     Barricades and zig-zag paths have been set up to the Kashi Vishwanath temple to reduce crowding on the roads. CCTV surveillance will be used to monitor the safety and convenience of the devotees, they added in a statement.
     Additionally, provisions have been made to protect devotees from the sun and rain for which entry through the 'Silko Gate' has been arranged for the first time.
     A lane on the Prayagraj to Varanasi national highway has been reserved for 'kanwariyas'. On Mondays, daily passes will be cancelled and there will be a restriction on the 'sparsh darshan' of Baba Vishwanath, the statement said.
     Meanwhile, an official of the Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) on Sunday said meat shops on the Kanwar Yatra route in Varanasi will remain closed during the month of 'Sawan'.
     "Meat shops on all Kanwar Yatra routes under the Varanasi Municipal Corporation limits will remain closed in the month of Sawan, so that Kanwariyas do not have to face any kind of difficulties," VMC Public Relations Officer (PRO) Sandeep Srivastava said.
     The decision was taken in an executive meeting of the corporation chaired by Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari on July 19, Srivastava said.
     According to VMC officials, there are 96 meat shops on the Kanwar Yatra route, which will remain closed during 'Savan' month.
     Kanwariyas have started arriving in Kashi for the darshan of Baba Vishwanath. Long queues of Lord Shiva devotees can be seen waiting to perform 'jalabhishek'.
     Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, CEO of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust, said the temple and district administration have completed preparations for the convenience and smooth darshan of visitors during 'sawan'.
     Mishra said the temple administration will operate free e-rickshaws and golf carts for VIPs, the elderly, differently-abled, and infirm devotees from both Godowlia and Maidagin to gate number 4 of the temple on Mondays.
     The entire temple area is equipped with CCTV cameras, and a control room has been established to closely monitor all activities, including those of the devotees.
     To reduce crowding on the roads, zig-zag barricades have been set up inside the temple premises. Additionally, extra sheds have been installed to protect devotees from rain, sun, and heat, the temple CEO said.
     Arrangements for water and ORS have also been made for the devotees, Mishra added.
The darshan and worship of the sanctum sanctorum (Garbhagriha) of the Vishwanath temple will be broadcast live.
     Six LED screens have been installed at various locations in the temple complex. A 'lost and found centre' has been set up for the convenience of devotees, with multi-lingual personnel on duty.
     Mishra said medical personnel have been assigned to handle any emergencies that may arise.
     Due to the high expected crowd on Monday, locker facilities will not be available within the temple premises, he said and urged devotees coming for darshan to avoid bringing bags, mobile phones, electronic devices, or prohibited items.
     Meanwhile, police in Muzaffarnagar district said efforts are on to make this year's Kanwar Yatra safe and incident-free.
     Muzaffaranagar Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Satyanarayan Prajapat on Sunday told reporters that the district police have an important role in this year's Kanwar Yatra.
     "Our preparations are complete. We have already held meetings with different departments. The inter-state and inter-district meetings have also been held. Our coordination with Uttarakhand for the yatra is also on," he said.
     "The 260 kilometre-long Kanwar Yatra route in Muzaffarnagar has been divided into 5 super-super zones, 16 super zones, and 80 sectors. Policemen from an SP-ranked official to a constable will be deployed. Six companies of PAC and one company of RAF (Rapid Action Force) will be deployed for security of the Kanwar Yatris," the ASP said, adding that divers and civil defence volunteers will also be deployed.
     He also said that transformers on the Kanwar Yatra route have been barricaded and adequate lighting has been provided on the routes.
     "Around 1,800 CCTVs have been installed. Monitoring of the yatra will also be done using drones," he said.
     The Muzaffarnagar police last week sparked a controversy by asking all hotels, restaurants and dhabas along the Kanwar Yatra route to put up signboards with their owners' names, address and mobile number.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)