Haridwar Police has prepared a multi-layered security plan for the Somvati Amavasya bathing festival, when lakhs of devotees are expected to reach Har Ki Pauri and other major Ganga ghats. The festival area has been divided into 2 super zones, 14 zones and 44 sectors for coordinated monitoring.
SP Traffic/Crime Nisha Yadav briefed officers and personnel assigned to the festival at the auditorium of Rishikul Ayurvedic College. She directed them to remain alert, coordinate with one another and immediately pass important information to senior officers. The SP City has been appointed overall in charge of the festival.
Crowd control and alternative bathing ghats
Police personnel have been told that their responsibilities include more than traffic and security. They must also guide devotees, assist them when needed and activate alternative arrangements if crowd pressure rises.
If the main bathing areas at Har Ki Pauri become overcrowded, devotees will be directed towards other ghats. Police deployed on both sides of every bridge leading towards Har Ki Pauri have been instructed to keep ropes ready. These will help regulate movement and divert people when necessary.
Officials have also ordered that devotees sleeping on the ghats be woken at night 2:00 and the areas cleared. The measure is intended to make space for people arriving for the morning bath and prevent unnecessary crowding.
Each zone and sector will have a designated officer. Personnel have been instructed to know their duty points, responsibilities and the mobile numbers of nearby staff and officers in adjoining sectors and zones. No one may leave a until the replacement reaches it.
Checks at stations, roads and crowded locations
Special vigilance will be maintained at the railway station, Har Ki Pauri and other sensitive locations. Police teams will conduct anti-sabotage checks and monitor suspicious objects. If such an object is found, personnel have been told not to touch it or approach unnecessarily, but to alert the Bomb Disposal Squad and dog squad immediately.
Verification of people from outside the area and checks on suspicious vehicles have been conducted before the festival. Vehicle inspections will continue for traffic entering and leaving the district. Police have been instructed to carry out checks according to procedure if a vehicle is suspected of containing anything suspicious.
Plainclothes personnel will patrol ghats and crowded places, with particular attention to suspected pickpockets, thieves and suspicious activity. The Local Intelligence Unit has been asked to deploy intelligence personnel at sensitive points and provide important information in time.
Water safety and traffic arrangements
Water Police personnel will remain alert at the Ganga ghats because devotees may slip, drown or be swept away by the current. They have been directed to maintain continuous surveillance and begin rescue action immediately during an emergency.
Police at major ghats will also advise devotees to bathe safely and remain especially watchful near hazardous locations. Chetak and mobile police vehicles will keep patrolling their assigned areas.
Personnel have been told to follow the existing traffic plan and send vehicles along designated routes. Officers on night duty must prevent unnecessary parking on main roads so that traffic is not blocked. Police will also monitor rumours and any attempt to disturb the atmosphere, while personnel have been instructed to avoid unnecessary mobile phone use during duty.
Yadav directed officers to remain firm but courteous with devotees. She said their conduct should not cause public inconvenience or affect law and order.
Police, support forces and lost-and-found help
The deployment includes police, PAC, Home Guards, PRD personnel, Water Police, Fire Service staff and trainee police personnel. The arrangements include 23 inspectors, station house officers and senior sub-inspectors, along with 250 Home Guards and 250 PRD personnel.
A special lost-and-found centre has been established at the CCR to help devotees separated from their family members. Details of missing people will be recorded there, with efforts made to reunite them with their relatives.
The police have stressed coordination among security agencies, Water Police, the Bomb Disposal Squad, dog squad and traffic teams during emergencies. The immediate task will be to manage the movement of lakhs of devotees, control pressure at major ghats and maintain safety during bathing.
Conclusion
Haridwar Police has planned security across 2 super zones, 14 zones and 44 sectors, combining crowd diversion, traffic control, water safety, checks and public assistance for the Somvati Amavasya bathing festival.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How has the Haridwar festival area been divided?
The area has been divided into 2 super zones, 14 zones and 44 sectors.
Q. Who is the overall officer in charge of the festival?
The SP City has been appointed overall in charge.
Q. What will happen if Har Ki Pauri becomes overcrowded?
Devotees may be diverted to alternative ghats to manage crowd pressure.
Q. When will sleeping devotees be asked to leave the ghats?
Police have ordered that they be woken at night 2:00 and the ghats cleared.
Q. Which teams will respond to suspicious objects?
The Bomb Disposal Squad and dog squad will be informed, and personnel have been told not to touch suspicious objects.
Q. What water-safety arrangements are planned?
Water Police will monitor the ghats and begin rescue action during emergencies.
Q. How many Home Guards and PRD personnel are included in the deployment?
The plan includes 250 Home Guards and 250 PRD personnel.
Q. Where can separated devotees seek help?
A lost-and-found centre has been established at the CCR.
