Ghaziabad police increase deployment for Kanwar season

For traffic management, the number of deployed traffic police officers has increased from 328 last year to approximately 700 this Kanwar season

In preparation for the annual Kanwar pilgrimage passing through Ghaziabad district, the Ghaziabad police have decided to deploy an additional 30% of the civil police force, police said, adding that the authorities have made these arrangements to ensure the safe conduct of the Kanwar Yatra, minimizing inconvenience to both pilgrims and commuters.

To address any incidents of Kanwarias’ Kanwars getting damaged or water being spilled during the journey, the police have procured 1200 liters of Ganga Jal from Haridwar. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

During a press briefing held at police lines on Friday, Ajay Kumar Mishra, Ghaziabad police commissioner, revealed details of the police deployment and various arrangements. He said that the additional civil police force is separate from the personnel already deployed for routine duties.

Compared to the previous year, the city has been divided into an increased number of zones, sectors, and sub-sectors. “Last year’s division comprised nine zones, 20 sectors, and 99 sub-sectors, whereas this year, the numbers have been expanded to 12, 26, and 105, respectively. To handle the Kanwar responsibilities, 53 inspectors, 574 sub-inspectors, and 1339 head constables/constables will be deployed from the civil police alone. The officers have physically inspected various Kanwar routes and identified 581 duty points, a significant increase from the previous year’s 304. These measures will be in effect from July 9 to 18,” the CP said.

For traffic management, the number of deployed traffic police officers has increased from 328 last year to approximately 700 this Kanwar season.

“The police have been actively disseminating information about traffic diversions through social media and social media handles. The traffic police deployment will include six inspectors, 57 traffic sub-inspectors, 446 head constables/constables, 50 home guards, and 45 additional jawans. Five control rooms have been set up at Modinagar, Upper Ganga Canal, Tila Morh, Meerut Crossing, and Dudheshwar Nath Temple. Additionally, the communication platform has been upgraded from analog to digital,” the CP added further.

To enhance security, live feeds from approximately 1000 CCTVs will be accessible to officers. The CCTVs have been deployed across all three police zones: rural, city, and trans-Hindon.

Officials have received a total of 192 applications for approximately 150 Kanwar camps. So far, 137 permissions have been granted, indicating a commitment to maintaining proper regulatory measures.

To address any incidents of Kanwarias’ Kanwars getting damaged or water being spilled during the journey, the police have procured 1200 liters of Ganga Jal from Haridwar. These supplies have been placed at all police stations throughout the district.

“The entire procurement process from Haridwar has been video graphed, ensuring transparency,” an officer aware of the matter said.

In terms of traffic management, the Ghaziabad traffic police have already announced graded traffic diversions in the district, effective from July 4 to 18. To facilitate communication and provide guidance to commuters, 699 flex boards have been strategically positioned at various diversion points, an increase from last year’s 472.