New Delhi / Dehradun: In a first-of-its-kind initiative to make Kanwar Yatra safe, Delhi Police has started a process to register pilgrims.
The move comes as a precautionary measure and aims to create a databank.
The databank of devotees will enable better coordination among the authorities to provide assistance to the devotees and to keep a better track of the pilgrims in case of a mishappening or an emergency.
The Kanwar Yatra, in which Shiva devotees from northern states travel on foot or by other means to collect water from Ganga in Haridwar to offer it at Shiva temples in their areas, is set to begin on July 14.
Devotees can register themselves at kavad.delhipolice.gov. Though, it is not mandatory. "Delhi Police has held a lot of meetings regarding Kanwar. This initiative has been taken for the first time. The registration will be done by Delhi Police and will be free. I request all the people going to Kanwar Yatra to register at 'kavad.delhipolice.gov'. Due to this, a data bank will also be formed with Delhi Police. So this registration will be very useful," Suman Nalwa, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), PRO told ANI. "Since last few days, sensitive cases have come up in the country, we are aware, we are keeping a close watch, we are fully prepared, security arrangements are being made, all traffic arrangements have been made. So that no one gets in trouble," she added. Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage of devotees of Lord Shiva to Hindu pilgrimage sites of Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch holy waters of River Ganga. Later, the holy water is dispensed as offerings to Lord Shiva in temples. —ANI