Sahibabad : Every year in the month of Sawan, devotees of Bhole go to Haridwar and Garhmukteshwar to take Kanwar. To ensure that the Kanwar Yatra is conducted peacefully, the administration in the NCR districts diverts the routes and also bans heavy vehicles on all routes. This not only causes problems to the daily commuters but also affects industries, children's education and business.

After the construction of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) and Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) and the widening of National Highway 9 (NH-9), there was hope that people would get relief from this trouble that occurs year after year. But the officers could not find any such alternative so that the pilgrimage of the devotees of Bholenath could be completed peacefully without affecting the normal life of the people.

At present, the responsible officials are claiming to solve this problem through the Kanwar route being built between Muradnagar in Ghaziabad and Purkaji in Muzaffarnagar. Here is a report by Avnish Mishra on the impact of the route diversion for 15 days during the Kanwar Yatra on the people of NCR -

Diversion of heavy vehicles on 12 routes including DME

Ghaziabad: From 12 midnight of July 22, diversion of heavy vehicles has been implemented on 12 routes including DME, which will remain till 8 pm on August 5. From 12 midnight of July 27, light vehicles like four-wheelers, private and commercial vehicles and three-wheelers have also been diverted on 12 routes including GT Road. Light vehicles will also be completely banned on DME from Sunday midnight.

Noida

• From July 22 to August 4, vehicular movement will be restricted from Sector-14A Chilla Border to Okhla Bird Sanctuary road.
• One lane has been closed from Delhi Kalindi Kunj to Okhla Bird Sanctuary since Friday. Traffic personnel are deployed near Kalindi Kunj, DND, Chilla Border, Chhijarsi, Model Town.
• While the Kanwar procession passes, the traffic policemen stop the traffic and allow the Kanwariyas to cross the road.

Hapur

• Diversion has been implemented for heavy vehicles on eight routes from July 22 to August 3 at 10 pm.
• The route of light vehicles has also been diverted from August 25.

Meerut

• The route is diverted on Delhi-Dehradun Highway, Garh Road, Hapur Road, Delhi Road, Roorkee Road.
• Like last year, this time too there are preparations to ban DME for vehicles.
• Meerut SP Traffic Raghavendra Mishra has said that if the number of Kanwariyas increases, then they will consider closing the DME.

Routes of 400 buses changed

These buses of Ghaziabad and Kaushambi depots will go to their destinations via different routes. The fare in the buses of Ghaziabad and Kaushambi depots has increased by Rs.30 to Rs.70 due to diversion, which will affect the passengers. The fare has increased by up to Rs.40 due to route diversion in the buses of Noida depot. The route of 408 buses has been changed by Meerut depot.

Bhainsali bus depot has been closed. Buses to Delhi and Haridwar are being operated from Sohrab Gate depot. Passengers travelling from Meerut to Delhi have to pay Rs 154 to Rs 162 extra fare. Passengers travelling from Meerut to Lucknow have to pay Rs 47 extra fare due to diversion.

There is no route diversion in Delhi, separate lanes are made

Most of the Kanwariyas pass through East Delhi. Here, instead of route diversion, a separate lane is made for Kanwariyas by tying a barrier and rope on the road. They pass through that lane. This also keeps the traffic moving on the road. However, due to the reduced width of the road, a situation of jam occurs.

Apart from problems, common people also face financial loss

• The routes of 400 buses have been changed, these buses of Ghaziabad and Kaushambi depots will go to their destinations via different routes.
• The fare has increased by Rs 30 to Rs 70 due to diversion in the buses of Ghaziabad and Kaushambi depots, which will affect the passengers.
• The fare has increased by up to Rs 40 due to route diversion in the buses of Noida depot.
• Meerut depot has changed the route of 408 buses, Bhainsali bus depot has been closed. Buses to Delhi and Haridwar are being operated from Sohrab Gate depot.
• Passengers travelling from Meerut to Delhi have to pay extra fare of Rs 154 to Rs 162.
• Passengers travelling from Meerut to Lucknow have to pay Rs 47 extra fare due to diversion

School closed in ghaziabad 

Schools and colleges will remain closed in Ghaziabad from July 29 to August 2. Schools and colleges will remain closed in Gautam Buddha Nagar due to local holiday on August 2. Schools and colleges are closed in Hapur from Thursday to August 2.

The problem may be solved after the construction of Kanwar route

The construction of Kanwar route is going on from Muradnagar in Ghaziabad to Purkaji in Muzaffarnagar. The work is getting delayed as the matter has gone to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding the trees on the route.

Public Works Department officials say that the road will be built in about a year. If this happens, there is no possibility of a route diversion next year, because the Kanwariyas will walk on this route. Other routes will remain empty.

Industries are also paying the price of diversion

According to the entrepreneurs of Ghaziabad, for the first time in the year 1995, the roads were closed for two days for the Kanwar Yatra in the district. The entrepreneurs had put forward suggestions before the district in-charge minister Asim Arun, police and administrative officials regarding the successful organization of the Kanwar Yatra as well as providing relief to the industries.

They had demanded that vehicles carrying products and raw materials be allowed to move in the industrial area late at night and that heavy vehicles be banned when the number of Kanwariyas increases, but this did not happen. This creates problems for entrepreneurs in getting raw materials and sending out finished goods.

Along with this, employees also face difficulty in reaching the office. Entrepreneurs of Ghaziabad and Meerut districts are affected the most. Industries of Gautam Buddha Nagar are not much affected by the route diversion.

Rs 200 crore turnover

Entrepreneurs are claiming that business worth Rs 200 crore will be affected in Ghaziabad district in 15 days. Whereas IIA officials have claimed that business worth Rs 25 crore will be affected in Meerut in these 15 days.