Delhi / Delhi cancels Kanwar Yatra after Uttarakhand and UP in view of COVID-19

New Delhi: Delhi on Sunday cancelled the kanwar yatra, days after Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh called off the religious pilgrimage due to Covid-19 concerns.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in an order prohibited any gatherings, processions or celebrations related to the pilgrimage.

“In spite of being banned /suspended by Uttarakhand government, there is an apprehension of gatherings/ congregations/processions during Kanwar Yatra 2021. Therefore, in view of persisting Covid-19 situation, it is decided that Kanwar Yatra 2021 should not be permitted in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in Delhi..,” said the DDMA order, which HT has seen.

The order also cited an existing DDMA direction which bans all religious, cultural, sports, political, academic and other similar gatherings in the national capital.

This is the second year the yatra has been cancelled due to the pandemic. Last year too, the kanwar sanghs publicly announced they will not arrange camps.

Months after the Mahakumbh drew 9.1 million devotees and seeded clusters of infections, concerns have grown over the kanwar yatra.

The DDMA order came a day after the Uttar Pradesh government, citing a decision by groups representing pilgrims, said that the kanwar yatra will not take place this year. On Friday, when the UP government told the Supreme Court that it is looking forward to allow a symbolic yatra this year with restricted number of tourists, the top court shot down the suggestion.

Last week, the Uttarakhand government called off kanwar yatra citing risks of potential spread of Covid-19.

The annual yatra attracts around 30 million pilgrims who travel on foot from many northern and northwestern states to Haridwar to collect water from the Ganga and carry it back to their home towns. Uttarakhand, which too will vote in the assembly elections next year, has already cancelled the yatra and said it will not allow devotees to arrive in the state.

Delhi too witnesses crowds every year joining the pilgrimage either from the Capital or people from neighbouring states to reach either Uttarakhand or Uttar Pradesh. “In usual years, the revenue department of the government is entrusted with arrangements for the pilgrims. They set up temporary tents and camps for them to take rest, toilets and facilities providing drinking water,” said a senior DDMA official.