Travelling To Uttarakhand During Kanwar Yatra? These Are The Roads To Avoid

If you're planning a road trip or bus journey to Haridwar, Dehradun or nearby destinations over the next two weeks, expect delays. Authorities across western Uttar Pradesh and Delhi have announced phased traffic restrictions for the annual Kanwar Yatra, which begins on July 30 and concludes on August 11. Some restrictions will continue until August 12. The biggest impact will be on people travelling between Delhi, Haridwar, Dehradun and Saharanpur, especially by road.

Delhi-Haridwar Highway To Shut For All Vehicles From August 4

The most significant restriction comes into effect on August 4. Vehicle movement will be completely banned on the Delhi-Haridwar National Highway (NH-58) and the Ganga Canal Road in the Muzaffarnagar district. The closure will remain in place until August 12 to allow the smooth movement of Kanwariyas.

This means travellers heading to Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun or Saharanpur by road should expect diversions, longer travel times and possible fare hikes on buses and taxis.

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The restrictions will be introduced in phases. Heavy vehicles across the Meerut zone will start facing diversions from the night of July 29-30. In Muzaffarnagar, heavy vehicles will be barred from key routes from July 30. Restrictions for light and medium vehicles, including private cars, will begin from August 4 and continue until August 12.

Which Routes Will Travellers Be Diverted To?

Authorities have announced alternate routes to keep traffic moving:

• Vehicles travelling from Haridwar and Saharanpur towards Delhi will be diverted through Deoband, Pachenda, Mirapur and Mawana in Meerut before entering the national capital. Traffic in the opposite direction will follow the same diversion.
• For those travelling from Delhi to Haridwar or Dehradun, police have advised using the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor.

Authorities have discouraged Kanwariyas from using this corridor so that regular travellers can continue using it during the pilgrimage. Officials expect traffic on the corridor to increase by around 25 to 30 per cent during the diversion period, especially on weekends. It is also better to check live navigation before starting, as authorities have said diversions will be updated on Google Maps in real time.

Plan Carefully If You're Travelling Through Ghaziabad

Ghaziabad will also see phased restrictions. Heavy goods vehicles entering from the Delhi side have already been diverted through the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, Ganga Expressway and Delhi-Dehradun Expressway.

From August 5, restrictions will extend to light commercial vehicles, private cars, tempos and other passenger vehicles. The Ganga Canal embankment road and pipeline road will remain completely closed. From August 7, vehicular movement on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway will also be stopped, except for Dak Kanwariyas.

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The Kanwar Yatra is one of north India's largest annual pilgrimages, and with complete highway closures and multiple diversion plans in place, travellers heading towards Uttarakhand and western Uttar Pradesh should factor in extra travel time before setting out.