Traffic in the Delhi NCR and nearby districts has been disrupted all weekend due to the Kanwar Yatra, which started on July 11. Commuters, however, breathed a sigh of relief as today, July 23, marks the final day of the Yatra, with normalcy expected to return by Thursday.
Since the start of the Kanwar Yatra, traffic movement has been far from smooth. The yatra caused continuous disruptions for daily commuters, including school children. Most schools and colleges shifted to online mode, triggering panic among parents. Additionally, as Kanwariyas began returning from Haridwar after collecting sacred water, major road congestion was reported across multiple routes on July 23.
From Tuesday night, roads in Delhi NCR were filled with boomboxes and Kanwariyas. Traffic police also issued advisories for commuters to take alternate routes, but due to diversions and heavy traffic volume, commuters spent hours in congestion.
Rishima, who lives in East Delhi, told News 24 that her travel time multiplied threefold after the Kanwar Yatra. “The roads close to my home have been blocked. On Monday, I left the office at 5:30 p.m. and reached home around 9:30 p.m. To avoid these unnecessary challenges, I opted for work from home,” she said.
Schools Shifted To Online Mode
Not just traffic, schools were also shifted to online mode. “My younger brother, a student at a school in Ghaziabad, began attending online classes after his school halted in-person sessions due to the Kanwar Yatra.”
Schools in Gautam Budh Nagar also opted for online classes from Class 1 to 12. “Due to Sawan Shivratri, Wednesday, July 23, has been declared a local holiday for all district-wide government and accredited schools. All grades from 1 to 12 are covered by the directive,” according to District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) Dharamveer Singh.
Several private schools, including Amity in Noida and Christ in Delhi, have also shifted to online classes. Authorities announced that in-person classes will resume on Thursday. Beyond traffic and school disruptions, commuters are also concerned about potential vandalism.
Vandalism
Multiple videos of vandalism and assault by “Kanwariyas” during the yatra started circulating on social media platforms since it began on July 11, the day of the first Saavan, dedicated to Lord Shiva. There have been various instances where Kanwariyas damaged private vehicles, forced food outlets to go vegan, and assaulted public servants. As Kanwariyas tried to take the law into their own hands, UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said, “Miscreants who try to incite violence posing as Kanwariyas will face action,” he said while speaking to the media, adding, “We will also release posters of miscreants to take strict action against them as the Kanwar Yatra ends.”
Notably, a group of Kanwariyas assaulted a cab driver and vandalised his vehicle after it accidentally brushed against Kanwariyas in Ghaziabad in the second week of July.
In another incident, on Sunday, three Kanwariyas were arrested after they allegedly beat a CRPF constable following an argument over a ticket at Mirzapur railway station. Videos of both incidents were widely circulated on social media platforms.
मिर्ज़ापुर रेलवे स्टेशन पर CRPF जवान से मारपीट, कांवड़ियों की भीड़ ने वर्दीधारी जवान को ज़मीन पर गिराकर पीटा।
— PARAMILITARY HELP – CAPF (@Paramilitryhelp) July 19, 2025
उत्तर प्रदेश के मिर्ज़ापुर रेलवे स्टेशन पर आज 19 जुलाई 2025 को एक शर्मनाक घटना सामने आई, जहाँ कांवड़ियों के एक समूह ने CRPF के एक जवान के साथ मारपीट की
जानकारी के… pic.twitter.com/swZrIpZban
In Ghaziabad, a right-wing group forced a KFC outlet to shut down during the Kanwar Yatra. The incident triggered backlash, prompting Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra to take to Twitter and demand strict action. ‘Unchecked vandalism by Kanwariyas—destroying vehicles, attacking eateries, and now forcibly shutting shops. Show some spine, @KFC_India – use @USIBC & @AmchamIndia to warn US businesses how the Modi government backs this nonsense. @USAndIndia,’ she tweeted.
Unchecked vandalism by Kanwariyas: destroying vehicles , attacking eateries to now forcibly shutting shops. Show some spine @KFC_India – use @USIBC & @AmchamIndia to warn US businesses how Modi govt backs this nonsense. @USAndIndia
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) July 18, 2025
Besides the assaults, there have also been several incidents where Kanwariyas died or were hurt in road accidents. In Noida, three Delhi-based men who had left home to bring sacred water from Haridwar died after their bike rammed into a divider and hit a pole on the Delhi–Meerut Expressway on July 17. In another incident, two Kanwariyas died and three sustained injuries after a speeding ambulance hit them in Ghaziabad on Monday.
To avoid such accidents and facilitate Kanwariyas, police in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Uttarakhand created separate routes for them by diverting traffic to alternative roads. For example, the Delhi–Meerut Expressway (DME) was closed for Kanwariyas, with a dedicated 67.6 km stretch in Ghaziabad and a 4 km stretch in Noida. Delhi also provided a safe corridor for Kanwariyas.
A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, said, “A separate corridor was made to provide safe passage to Kanwariyas. It also prevents any altercation with commuters and the public during the yatra.” The officer added that heavy police deployment was also made to maintain law and order along the route.
The Kanwar Yatra is a yearly Hindu pilgrimage honoring Lord Shiva, mainly taking place in the month of Shravan (July–August) according to the Hindu calendar. During this time, countless worshippers known as Kanwariyas walk from their residences to holy places along the Ganges River, including Haridwar, Gaumukh, Gangotri (Uttarakhand), and Sultanganj (Bihar), to gather sacred water from the river.
The water is subsequently transported back, usually with a bamboo pole (kanwar) featuring pots on either side, and presented as jalabhishek at their nearby Shiva temples or renowned sites such as Kashi Vishwanath (Varanasi), Baidyanath (Deoghar, Jharkhand), and Pura Mahadeva (Baghpat).
