Delhi Deploys 15,000 Police as Kanwar Yatra Brings Noise and Road Closures
Residents across Delhi localities including Friends Colony East and Okhla are experiencing severe traffic disruptions and late-night noise pollution as the annual Kanwar Yatra brings a large influx of devotees into the city. Saturday marked the start of the primary pilgrimage movement, with peak movement expected to continue until August 11 along key transit corridors such as Mathura Road and Ring Road.
According to local residents, trucks participating in the pilgrimage have been fitted with massive sound systems that play high-volume music late into the night. Triveni Mahajan, secretary of the Friends Colony East Resident Welfare Association, reported that heavy bass from music systems on trucks stuck in traffic along Mathura Road causes windows in nearby homes to vibrate. Rain over the past week has further compounded traffic delays and extended the exposure to loud music for surrounding neighborhoods.
Residents in Okhla have voiced similar concerns regarding prolonged noise disturbances affecting children and the elderly. While residents reported making repeated complaints to local authorities, Delhi Police stated that personnel have stopped several vehicles and instructed drivers to lower their sound systems or disconnect audio equipment. However, no official cases have been registered regarding noise violations so far.
To manage the movement, Delhi Police have deployed more than 15,000 security personnel across the city, alongside approximately 2,000 traffic personnel managed under the direction of DCP (Traffic) K Ramesh. The traffic plan encompasses 306 regulation points and 308 designated Kanwar camps. Eastern Delhi, which absorbs a major portion of traffic entering from the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh borders, has received the largest allocation, with 640 traffic personnel assigned across 88 regulation points and 120 camps.
Severe traffic restrictions have been instituted along eight designated routes, including Wazirabad Road, GT Road, Rohtak Road, and Najafgarh Road. Officials confirmed that the GT Road stretch connecting Apsara Border to Yamuna Bridge will be completely closed to general vehicular traffic from 7:00 AM on August 9 until 8:00 PM on August 12.
On Saturday, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited a Kanwar Seva Camp near the Delhi-UP border at Dilshad Garden. During the visit, she welcomed devotees, reviewed food, water, sanitation, and healthcare provisions, and inspected overall operational arrangements at the facility.
