Ghaziabad, July 12 (IANS) A meeting of senior civil and police officers of four states was held here on Tuesday for chalking out a strategy for the impending arrival of a large number of 'kanwarias' in the city by August 3.
The kanwarias, devotees of Lord Shiva, will bathe the Hindu deity's statue here with holy water they will bring from the Ganga river from Haridwar and other places in containers carried on shoulders on August 3.
The officers from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Uttarakhand mulled over regulation of traffic and maintenance of law and order during a meeting at the Ghaziabad Police Lines here, UP Principal Secretary Home Devashish Panda told the media here.
As many as 2 to 2.5 crore kanwarias from Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and other places are expected to converge here.
The meeting decided to manage traffic and alternate routes in advance.
The Chaudhary Charan Singh Marg on the Upper Ganges Canal is being strengthened and widened.
Official plan to persuade kanwarias to use this route from Haridwar to Murad Nagar, enabling commuters on the National Highway-58 to travel without hassles.
For this, maximum number of community kitchens and medical camps will be set up on this route. Bhandaras/community kitchens will be allowed only on the left side of the road.
Forty companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary, National Disaster Relief Force, Anti-Terrorist Squad and Special Task Force have been asked to be ready for deployment.
The religious festival will start on July 19 and end with the bathing of Lord Shiva's statue.
Traffic diversions for heavy vehicles and light vehicles like two-wheelers etc. will begin from July 24 and July 27 respectively, Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Javed Ahmad said.
