The long weekend with back to back snans of Vaisakhi and the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti are a challenge for the district police and administration for which ample security measures were made by the district authorities. On Sunday thousands of people took the holy dip at Har Ki Paidi. The Vaisakhi snan passed peacefully amidst strict security.

In the morning hours the traffic flow was normal but with the progressing of the day towards late evening, vehicular traffic increased. Route diversions for vehicles coming from Dehradun to Delhi are planned for the next two days. The light vehicles coming from Delhi will be routed through Khanpur rather than normal route of Narsen traversing through Pherupur.

The vehicles coming via Najibabad to Haridwar were made to park in Gaurishankar and Neeldhara parking while returning they were routed through Chandi Ghat to Najibabad highway.

Speaking to The Pioneer, the Haridwar senior superintendent of police Janmejay Khanduri said, “It was just a normal day on Vaisakhi but we are anticipating heavy rush from today evening till next three days on account to Somvati Amavasya snan for which ample of security measures have been taken.”

The officials were directed to take necessary measures to maintain law and order in the area.

They were directed to keep the closed circuit television cameras operational in sensitive areas of Har ki Paidi, Khadkhadi, railway station and Rodibelwala. Four teams of water police and divers were deployed. 

A team of 130 sub inspectors, 28 police station in-charge, 35 lady sub inspectors, 55 head constables, 547 constables, 145 lady constables, 13 traffic police constables, two traffic sub inspectors and one company of Provincial Armed Constabulary had been deployed in the mela zone. Besides these, two teams of Bomb Disposal Squad, two bike fire service teams and dog squad had also been arranged in case of emergency.

Whole of the mela zone was divided into 14 zones and 41 sectors and security personnel were deployed at the sensitive areas and major crossings. From the early hours of the morning, the security personnel were directed to reach their posted points by the district administration.