Sleepless nights, choked roads: Kanwariyas run rampant amid lack of enforcement in Delhi

With the pilgrimage having begun on July 30, residents say they have already begun to hear loud music in the deep hours of the night.

Noise pollution, choked roads, and traffic diversions marked the start of the annual Kanwar Yatra in the Capital, which serves as a thoroughfare on their way to and back from the Ganges. Residents complain of late-night processions blaring music through loudspeakers and boom boxes beyond permissible limits, rattling homes and raising health concerns, further alleging little police intervention despite the blatant violation of a raft of norms.

So far, no complaints have been registered, said Delhi Police officials, adding that they have held several meetings over the past week on the deployment of staff at night to control the noise from boomboxes. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

The processions mainly enter Delhi through the borders with Ghaziabad and Noida, passing through arterial roads such as the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, National Highway-9, Mathura Road, Outer Ring Road, Aurobindo Marg, and Mehrauli-Gurugram Road. Among the worst affected are residents of east, south and southeast Delhi, particularly those who live in Greater Kailash, CR Park, Kalkaji, New Friends Colony, Nehru Place and Lajpat Nagar, among others in the vicinity of the Mathura Road and Ring Road.

Processions also enter from Mundka, Tikri Border and Najafgarh roadside, leading to traffic congestion around Janakpuri, Dwarka and Najafgarh areas.

With the pilgrimage having begun on July 30, residents say they have already begun to hear loud music in the deep hours of the night and expect the disruptions to get worse over the coming days.

“The movement of Kanwariya trucks fitted with high-volume sound systems has begun and residents along the Mathura Road are already experiencing considerable disturbance,” said Triveni Mahajan, secretary of the Friends Colony East residents welfare association (RWA), adding, “While the frequency of these vehicles is currently limited, a sharp increase is expected tomorrow, the first Monday of Sawan.”

The usage of loudspeakers after 10 pm is banned nationwide by the Supreme Court, and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) rules permit a maximum noise level in residential areas of 55dB(A) between 6 am and 10 pm. This threshold falls to 45dB(A) from 10 pm till 6 am. Db(A), or a weighted decibel, is a measure of how loud something sounds to the human ear.

However, religious processions armed with boom boxes and high-decibel speakers have openly flouted these restrictions.

So far, no complaints have been registered, said Delhi Police officials, adding that they have held several meetings over the past week on the deployment of staff at night to control the noise from boomboxes.

A senior police officer from the southeast district said, “We have stopped many vehicles in the last two days and directed the drivers to reduce volume or cut the wires. The staff has also been sensitised to keep in touch with RWAs and residents and ensure no untoward incident takes place. As of now, no case has been registered.... Since many of them come late at night, sometimes it gets difficult to track them.”

However, Atul Goyal, who heads United Residents Joint Action (URJA), said that police “largely focus on managing the procession rather than enforcing rules”.

“The overall approach has generally been to avoid strict action,” Goyal said.

An east Delhi resident, requesting anonymity, said that police officials are aware of the procession routes and the hours when loud music often disrupts the neighbourhood. However, no effective action is taken, the 60-year-old added, with many residents hesitant to raise complaints and the police reluctant to strictly enforce regulations.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Traffic Police has warned of increased traffic congestion on several routes till August 11.

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