Haridwar district police on Wednesday issued a detailed traffic diversion and restriction plan for the two-week Kanwar Mela, which begins on Thursday, with the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway set to remain out of bounds for Kanwariya vehicles.
Under the Kanwar Mela Traffic Plan-2026, the biggest impact is expected on the NH-58 stretch between Narsain, Roorkee and Haridwar, which witnesses heavy movement of kanwariyas, particularly those travelling in vehicles carrying decorated Kanwars. During the peak days of the pilgrimage, NH-58 will be closed to general traffic and all lanes will be opened exclusively for kanwariyas, officials said.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP), Haridwar, Navneet Singh Bhullar said the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway will not be opened for kanwariya vehicles. The restriction is aimed at ensuring that general commuters have an alternative route for travelling between Delhi and Dehradun and can also reach Haridwar from the Biharigarh side using the newly opened expressway.
State transport buses arriving from Delhi, Punjab and Haryana will be diverted to the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway and, from Mandawar-Abdul Kalam Chowk, will proceed towards Rishikul Ground, around 3 km from Har-ki-Pauri.
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State transport buses arriving from western Uttar Pradesh, Bijnor and Najibabad will be diverted through Ladpur towards Neeldhara, around 2.5km from Har-ki-Pauri.
Buses travelling from Dehradun and Rishikesh will be permitted to use the Lahadpur route on the Haridwar-Najibabad-Kashipur national highway. The four-lane road, along with its flyovers and service lanes, will provide additional space for both kanwariyas and general traffic, police said.
Private buses arriving from Punjab and Delhi will also be diverted through the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway. From Mandawar-Nagla Imarti, they will travel via Laksar and enter Haridwar through Bairagi Camp.
Heavy commercial vehicles will be permitted to enter Haridwar district only until August 4 and only between midnight and 4am. From August 5 until midnight on August 11, when the Kanwar Mela concludes, the movement of heavy commercial vehicles will be completely prohibited across the district.
Parking facilities have been arranged outside Haridwar city for such vehicles. Vehicles arriving from the Delhi side will be parked at Mandawar, while those coming from western Uttar Pradesh and the Najibabad side will be parked at Chidiyapur and Kangdi.
For pilgrims travelling to the Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines from Delhi, the police have advised routes via Meerut, Gadh Mukteshwar and Kotdwar, followed by Pauri, Srinagar Garhwal and Rudraprayag.
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Pilgrims travelling to the two shrines can also use the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway and proceed from Rishikesh through Devprayag, Srinagar and Rudraprayag.
Kanwariyas travelling on foot will use the traditional Kanwar patri along the Ganga Canal, running from Har-ki-Pauri through Bahadrabad and Roorkee towards Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Haryana.
Pedestrian kanwariyas travelling towards Najibabad, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar and Moradabad will use the designated walking route from Har-ki-Pauri through Chandi Ghat shrine chowk, the 4.2 bridge, Ganga Canal patri, Rasiabad and Najibabad.
Pilgrims travelling from Delhi towards the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines will be advised to use the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway and, after reaching Dehradun, proceed towards the Garhwal hills via Uttarkashi.
The Chilla Motor Road will also be operated as a one-way route for vehicles travelling between Haridwar and Rishikesh during the fair.
“We will open the Hill Bypass in case of extreme vehicular congestion and traffic pressure during the peak Kanwar pilgrimage days. Ambulances and fire brigade vehicles will be allowed to use the route during the Kanwar Mela,” Senior superintendent of police (SSP), Haridwar, Navneet Singh Bhullar, said.
