Ghaziabad: NH- 9 to bear major traffic during Kanwar Yatra diversions

This year, Ghaziabad traffic police have marked Muradnagar to Tila Morh, and the Delhi Meerut Road for Kanwariyas coming afoot from Uttarakhand

Ghaziabad: The traffic diversions for the annual Kawar Yatra becoming effective from July 11 are set to affect the Delhi Meerut Road, the Delhi Meerut Expressway, and the Muradnagar to Tila Morh Pipeline Road, while the National Highway (NH)– 9 will be majorly used by commuters as an alternative route, officials said on Thursday.

With NH-9, commuters can connect to areas like Dasna, Hapur, Moradabad, among others while with the help of EPE, commuters can connect to Palwal, Greater Noida, Baghpat and other parts of western Uttar Pradesh, said officials. (Sakib Ali/HT Photos)

This year, the Ghaziabad traffic police, has marked the Muradnagar to Tila Morh, and the Delhi Meerut Road for Kanwariyas coming afoot from Uttarakhand, while the Delhi Meerut Expressway will be majorly used for Dak Kanwars.

The Dak Kanwar is the fastest mode used by Kanwariyas to bring holy Ganga water from Uttarakhand. A group of Kanwariyas travel by light commercial vehicles and make a relay run behind it from the origin to the destination points to their respective cities, towns, and villages.

“The diversion for heavy traffic vehicles will be put in place from July 11. These vehicles will not be allowed to ply on the three roads and they will use the NH-9 from the UP Gate and travel further to Dasna and their destinations, using the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE). Likewise, the diversions for light vehicles will be effective from July 17, and these vehicles will similarly use NH – 9 and EPE to travel further to Meerut and other areas,” said additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP) (traffic) Sacchidanand.

The diversions, officials said, will start at 10pm on July 11 and from 8pm on July 17. They will remain in effect till July 25 morning.

The Shivratri, when the Ganga Jal is offered at Lord Shiva temples, falls on July 23, and majority of Kanwariyas return by this day.

With NH-9, commuters can connect to areas like Dasna, Hapur, Moradabad, among others while with the help of EPE, commuters can connect to Palwal, Greater Noida, Baghpat and other parts of western Uttar Pradesh, said officials.

“For internal roads in Ghaziabad city, there will be heavy deployment of traffic and police personnel and volunteers from the civil defence. The local traffic will run in a restricted manner and Kanwariyas will get preference to pass. Barricades will also be put up at different locations to disallow influx of internal traffic to the three diversion roads. The diversions and restriction will be observed in strict manner during the peak days of Kanwar Yatra,” the ADCP added.

In Ghaziabad, the Kanwar route spans 25km from Muradnagar to Tila Morh and 42.5km from the Kadrabad border to the Delhi-Ghaziabad border. An auxiliary route of about 53km on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway and the NH-9 will also be impacted.