HARIDWAR: The Kanwar Yatra might have led to Haridwar, however the metropolis is now grappling with the huge waste left behind by the document variety of pilgrims who visited through the annual pilgrimage.Round 4.8 crore Kanwariyas collected Ganga water from Har-ki-Pauri this yr, in accordance with police estimates, surpassing final yr’s document of 4.5 crore. However the unprecedented footfall has additionally left behind an estimated 8,000 metric tonnes of waste throughout ghats, mela grounds, parking areas and Kanwar routes.Haridwar Municipal Company officers stated the waste included massive portions of plastic sheets, discarded garments, bottles and different materials left by pilgrims. In some areas, rubbish heaps have been reported to have piled as much as waist peak.The situation of some amenities was significantly poor. Bottles containing urine have been discovered hanging in girls’s altering rooms, highlighting the extent of the sanitation problem confronted by civic authorities after the pilgrimage.The municipal company has launched a particular cleanliness drive that can proceed for one more week to clear the remaining waste from the town’s Kanwar areas. Officers stated a good portion of the discarded clothes is being segregated as a part of a textile-waste recycling initiative being carried out in collaboration with NGOs.The waste generated this yr is increased than the estimated 7,000 metric tonnes collected after the 2025 Kanwar Yatra, when round 4.5 crore pilgrims visited Haridwar.Final yr, sanitation employees had struggled to clear rubbish from the Ganga ghats, riverbanks, parking tons, Kanwar routes and highways. Plastic sheets, polybags, disposable plates and cups, in addition to discarded garments, have been among the many most typical waste objects.
Round 4.8 crore Kanwariyas collected Ganga water from Har-ki-Pauri this yr.
The dimensions of this yr’s waste comes whilst authorities claimed that the document pilgrimage triggered much less disruption to civic life than in earlier years.Police attributed the comparatively smoother site visitors motion to advance planning, designated Kanwar routes and the newly operational Delhi-Dehradun Expressway. Kanwariya site visitors was saved off the expressway, permitting common autos travelling in the direction of Dehradun to make use of the route whereas decreasing strain on the Delhi-Haridwar highway.In Jwalapur, Kanwariyas have been diverted from the freeway to the service highway after which routed by way of the Kanwar Canal, retaining them away from residential areas. In Kankhal, Dak Kanwar autos have been stopped and parked at Bairagi Camp to forestall congestion inside the town.Police additionally restricted massive DJ-equipped Kanwar autos from coming into the district, citing considerations over noise air pollution and disputes between teams.Regardless of the site visitors preparations, the pilgrimage took a human toll. Police stated 12 Kanwariyas died by drowning and 6 others have been killed in highway accidents. Practically 400 pilgrims have been rescued after being swept away whereas taking a dip within the Ganga. Eight unidentified our bodies have been additionally recovered, with efforts underway to determine their identities.
Haridwar: �Kanwariyas� collect to gather holy water from the Ganga river for the ‘Kanwar Yatra’ pilgrimage through the month of ‘Shravan’, at Har Ki Pauri Ghat in Haridwar. (PTI Picture)(PTI08_09_2026_000008B)
With the pilgrimage over, the main target has now shifted from managing the crowds to restoring Haridwar’s public areas and riverfront areas — and coping with the large quantity of waste left behind by the document footfall.
